Ace Attorney: Path to Hope
by The Trial of Life
Summary: In a distant future, the legend of the courtroom is about to be reborn. Join rookie attorney Hanamura Kibou as he battles for justice in an unjust world, while searching for answers as to the cause of a mysterious incident that befell him several years ago. He will learn just what it truly means to have hope in uncertain times as he brings a turnabout to impossible situations.
1. Episode 1, Part 1

A/N: Hello, everyone. I am not new to writing fanfiction, in fact I have several accounts in which I write stories under various pennames. This will most likely be the only story I write under this penname though. I have gotten really invested into the "Ace Attorney" series over the years and I thought I would give a shot at writing my own story. It's not going to have that much to do with the actual series as I've set it several decades after the exploits of Phoenix Wright. I also have gotten a little tired with Capcom's incessant need to Americanize every bit of the series. I mean the names are one thing, and I don't really mind it that much because they make the names very funny and punny.

But it's another thing to say that the series takes place in America when there are clear aspects and cultural depictions that prove that is not physically possible. So one thing to keep in mind when reading this story, this will take place in Japan and I will be using Japanese names (but this is just for people who are actually Japanese, any foreigners will have foreign names). Also if you don't already know, names in Japan are read from surname to given name i.e. backwards. Sorry, this is just a preference. But to make it easier to shift if you've only played the games or watched the anime with the foreign names, I will give you the Japanese name equivalent before I begin each chapter that has mentions of cannon characters. Though mostly this story will follow the lives of my own characters, who will have some punny names if you're willing to do the work and translate them yourselves.

One last thing, this is going to be a large project as I am planning on making my own "Ace Attorney" universe and if this story is a success, maybe make some sequels down the line. So I am also looking for a co-author who would be interested in writing this story with me. This job will be perfect for anyone who likes making characters, mysteries, etc. I have this first episode pretty much all laid out but I will need a partner before I start the second one. Otherwise it's probably going to take forever to update. So if you are interested in being my co-author, please PM me.

I hope you guys like this, I put a lot of work into it. Please read and review.

Mentioned Characters:

Phoenix Wright/Naruhodou Ryuuichi

Winston Payne/Auchi Takefumi

Disclaimer: I do not own "Ace Attorney"/"Gyakuten Saiban".

* * *

 **Episode 1: A Turnabout Up In Smoke**

* * *

 **Day 1, Trial, Part 1: Hanamura Kibou, Attorney at Law**

* * *

March 25th, 20XX. 2:00. Raira Law School, Naruhodou Hall.

* * *

 _The world can be a very cruel place._

Everything was silent on the law school campus, not a single sound could be heard save for the incessant chirp and buzz of the nearby insects. A full moon shone its rays down upon one of the law school's oldest buildings, Naruhodou Hall. The building, despite being donated to the school a few decades ago appeared to be very well-maintained and sturdy. It looked like it could stand the test of time easily. And then suddenly a warm, orangeish glow began to envelop the building. And after a few moments that glow turned into a small blaze of flame, and then a few moments after that it evolved into a monstrous fire that engulfed the entire building. It appeared that it would be only minutes before it collapsed from the structural damage of the intense heat.

 _What's there one day, can just as easily be gone the next. Sometimes there's a warning, but most of the time, the deed is done without a single word._

A maniacal cackle could be heard in the distance. "Take that old man! I've shown you! You always said you would stay in that office until the day you died! Looks like you got your wish!" After a few more moments of boisterous laughter, the mysterious individual calmed down and began to speak to himself. "I'm sure I got rid of every single shred of evidence that I left behind. I double checked twice after all. But just to be safe, this fire will eliminate anything that I might have missed. But still, there's no guarantee that it will get rid of the biggest piece of evidence. The Professor's body."

 _A murder for instance. A murder is the perfect example of what I mean. Some are planned ahead of time by devious individuals who wish to do harm on others. And some aren't planned at all, and are simply done in the heat of the moment. But it's all the same for the victim's loved ones. Before the deed, they don't even think about life without that person in their lives. It doesn't register at all. They just expect to automatically see them again the next day and continue on with whatever they were doing beforehand. The thought that their loved one's life may be taken away before they see them again never crosses their mind._

Then the mysterious individual smiled manically. "It's a good thing that I already set up the perfect fall guy beforehand. Him, he'll definitely take the fall. The two of them got into a pretty heated argument earlier today after all. He'll get convicted and I'll get off scot free. That will show them, that will show the both of them. It's the perfect crime."

 _And it makes the realization when they find out their loved one has been murdered, all the more shocking and appalling. I know this from firsthand experience. And I didn't know it at that point in time, but that event would shape me into the man I am today, and forever change my destiny._

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 8:48. Courthouse, Defendant Waiting Lobby No. 4.

* * *

I turned the running water of the sink on, and then cupped a handful of water into my hands and splashed it on my face. I looked into the bathroom mirror and saw my reflection. It was no good, I still looked as sick as a dog. But at least I wasn't sweating bullets anymore. 'Ugh, my stomach is in knots,' I thought to myself. I dried my face and then took in a deep breath, and then a few moments later I exhaled. 'Calm down, just calm down,' I thought to myself. I did my breathing routine a few more times to calm myself down, and then I looked back into the mirror and forced my best smile. 'Remember, what Professor Tanaka always said. The best thing you can do for your client is to force yourself to smile. Be confident even when you're really not.' Then I chuckled when I remembered that annoyingly childish mantra the Professor would say from time to time. _Playing pretend, is a lawyer's best friend._

A few moments later I looked into the mirror again and I noticed that I was no longer forcing myself to smile, I was actually smiling. 'You can do this, you can do this, Kibou,' I thought to myself. 'Now go talk to your client and make sure they're confident too.'

Before I left the defendant lobby's bathroom I did a last minute check of my appearance to see that I looked neat and presentable for court. My face looked pale and sickly but I could notice that some of its usual light pigment was coming back, my eyes looked very sleep-deprived from worry but they were still a vibrant caramel and were brimming with newfound confidence. And hopefully my black, broad framed glasses would cover up any absence of sleep. My black hair was slightly messy, but not much more than usual. My crescent-shaped ahoge was also present; hopefully my stubborn idiot hair wouldn't ring true of my actual character. I was wearing a neatly pressed two-piece, gray suit, with a blue dress shirt underneath, a black tie, and a pair of shiny black dress shoes. And of course my attorney badge was pinned to my lapel. I actually thought I looked pretty good, even if my heart was pounding with nervousness. Without thinking I struck a pose: the signature objection stance, which any lawyer had to be sure to know. Then I sweatdropped. "What the hell am I doing? I need to go talk to my client," I said to myself. I knelt down to the floor and collected my brown satchel, and then without wasting anymore time, I exited the bathroom.

Before you get anymore invested in this story, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hanamura Kibou. That's right, Kibou, it's my actual name. I swear, I'm not making it up. My parents were free-thinkers, so they thought an appropriate name for their firstborn son would be the Japanese word for hope. As you can imagine, I've been picked on since elementary school for this. But it's my name, and personally I love it…so there you go. But enough about that. I'm a defense attorney, and in case you couldn't tell it's my first official day on the job. In about ten minutes I'll be in the courtroom, defending a person accused of murder, and at this point I think my client was handling this pressure better than I was. But how could I not be freaking out? A person's life hangs in the balance, and my actions will dictate what happens to them. If I screw up, then their life is over. I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my twenty-six years on this planet.

"Hanamura-kun, glad to see you've returned to us," said a cheerful, old voice. I turned to see the owner of said voice. He was an aging man with silver eyes that were hidden behind a pair of crescent-shaped spectacles, and neatly combed gray hair which connected to a short gray beard on his pointy chin. He was slightly skinny and wore a two-piece, plaid, dark brown tweed suit, a white undershirt, a red bow-tie, and a pair of brown loafers. The old man chuckled boisterously and then said, "For a second there, I thought you might have tried to escape through the bathroom window."

I sweatdropped. "I wouldn't even think of doing that, Sir."

"Really now? There's no shame in admitting it, you know? I happened to try the same thing myself when I first represented a client in court," the old man replied.

"Really, Sir?!" I exclaimed.

"But of course, in fact I recall looking even worse than you do. Don't worry, lad. You're doing fine," the old man replied. "And would you knock it off with all that "Sir" nonsense? I may be retired from teaching now, but that doesn't mean I intend to give up the title that I earned."

"Right, sorry Professor," I apologized. This is my first official client, Professor Tanaka Shuichi. A former law professor at the local Raira Law School. He specialized in defense law and taught most of the defense attorneys who are big names in the industry today. He was also my former professor, as well as my educational advisor. It had been about two years since I last spoke with him, which was why I was really surprised when he called me out of the blue a few days ago and asked me to represent him in court. Even now, I really can't believe what's happened to him. The Professor is being accused of murdering a colleague and now it looks like he'll be forced to enjoy his retirement from behind bars. The Professor I knew was such a kind and caring individual who respected and had the upmost confidence in the law. There's no way he would ever even consider murder. It has to be a mistake. But still…I do have some reservations.

"Professor, I feel like I should've asked you this a lot sooner, but I guess I just thought that you had your reasons. But now I can't stop it from bugging me," I said.

"Yes, what is it, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka replied.

"This case looks like it's going to be tough, so I have to know. Why did you choose me to represent you? I just got my attorney badge a month ago and I haven't even stepped foot in a courtroom since then. Even at law school, my grades were average at best, and whenever we had a mock trial I would always lose. So knowing all that, why did you ask me to be your lawyer?" I asked.

Professor Tanaka made a small smile. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that. It is quite an odd thing to do, isn't it? I know some very good attorneys who could get me off the hook of this insanity blindfolded. Why with my knowledge, I think I could even represent myself and get a favorable verdict. But still my first call was to you, a student who barely passed my class with a C."

"In all fairness, your class was one of the most difficult ones at the school, Professor," I replied in my defense.

Professor Tanaka chuckled again. "I suppose it was. Anyway, if you really need a reason for my decision, I guess you could just say I made it because I was curious. It's been almost two years since you graduated, so I was curious as to how much you had improved since then. And to find out if you were truly ready to become a defense attorney."

I was shocked. "Eh?! That's it?! You were just curious?! This is your life you're playing with, you know?!" Realizing how rude my outburst was, I quickly apologized. "Sorry, Professor. I spoke out of turn."

Professor Tanaka chuckled again. "No, no it's quite alright. I realize my motives are a tad ridiculous. But if you must know, I do believe in you, Hanamura-kun. You have what it takes to be a brilliant defense attorney, I've known it since the day I first met you. You have more heart than any student I've ever known, and that's probably the greatest strength that you can have in this game. That's why I'm not worried about today's trial at all. I know you'll defend me with all you have."

"Wow, really?" I was surprised by the sudden compliment. Then I smiled and nodded. "Okay then, let's go and get you that not guilty verdict."

Professor Tanaka beamed. "That's more like it, now I hope you put on a good show for the two of us in there," he replied.

"Yeah, I will." Then I stopped. "Wait a second, did you just say "two"?" I replied. "And come to think of it, when I first came out of the bathroom earlier you said "you've returned to us". Who else is here?"

"Oh you don't know? Doesn't this charming young lady belong to you?" Professor Tanaka asked. Then he sidestepped to reveal a teenage girl sitting on a sofa behind him.

"Nii-chan! Hi!" the teenage girl exclaimed and waved at me. She had short black hair which ended in a triangular cut just before her neck, chocolate brown-colored eyes, and porcelain skin. She was wearing a plain yellow sundress that was tied with a green ribbon, a pair of brown sandals, and a sunflower shaped barrette in her hair. I knew this girl very well. This was my little sister of fifteen years, Hanamura Hinata.

I immediately ran over to Hinata with contempt written on my face. "Hinata, what are you doing here?! Aren't you supposed to be in school?!"

Hinata gave me a perplexed look. "Nii-chan, you realize we're still on break, right? I don't start the new year until April 1st. Did you seriously forget?"

I was so embarrassed. "Oh? Is that the case? I was wondering why you weren't going out in the morning with your uniform on. Looks like I've been a little a fuzzy with dates recently."

"So that's why you haven't been spending any time with me lately? You thought I was busy with school?" Hinata replied before giggling. "That's so like you, Nii-chan. You're such a scatterbrain."

"But that doesn't explain what you're doing here," I replied, trying to retain some respect. "This isn't a place for kids."

"I'm not a kid," Hinata huffed out and then folded her arms in defiance.

"By law, if you are under eighteen then you are still a kid," I replied.

She huffed again. "So this is how you treat your adorable little sister, who came all the way down here to support you on your first day as a real lawyer? Nice, really nice."

"Wait, that's why you're here? Why didn't you just say you wanted to come? I would have considered letting you tag along otherwise," I replied.

"I wanted to surprise you. For the past few days you've seemed really stressed out about this trial, so I thought that having a familiar, cheerful face watching over you in the gallery might cheer you up," she replied in a thoughtful tone.

"Aww, you," I replied before pulling Hinata into a hug. "You're the best little sister, a dopey older brother like me could ever ask for."

Hinata smiled and hugged me back. "It's good that you understand that." Then she pulled away from me and looked me straight in the eye. "Good luck, I know you're going to win. Give them hell."

"Hey language, missy," I replied in a strict tone. "But thanks."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" she exclaimed. Then she reached behind her back and pulled out a newspaper. "You didn't get to read the paper this morning like you usually do so I figured you'd want it. Here, you can read it during a recess." Then she handed me the newspaper.

 **Today's Paper added to Court Record.**

"Thanks, I'll be sure to read this when I get the chance," I replied.

"You're welcome. And just so you know, there's an article on the back that you might find interesting. It concerns the school where your client was working at, actually," she explained.

"Huh, really?" I replied.

"Excuse me, Sir!" someone shouted in my direction. I turned and saw that it was the court bailiff. "The trial is about to commence, you and your client should hurry on inside!"

"Yes, yes, we're coming," I replied in a panicked tone.

"Remember, I'll be watching. I've got your back," Hinata said to me.

Professor Tanaka chuckled again. "Such a thoughtful young lady. Well then, Hanamura-kun, shall we?"

"After you, Professor," I replied and motioned him to walk ahead of me. The court bailiff opened the courtroom door and allowed Professor Tanaka and I to go inside. 'This is it, my first official trial as a defense attorney. Here goes nothing.'

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 9:00. Courthouse, Courtroom No. 4.

* * *

The courtroom was very lavish in nature, a large gallery of seats encircled the trial grounds and a large crystal chandelier hung overhead. The trial grounds housed five pieces of furniture; there was a large podium which looked like it could house a number of people, this was where witnesses would give their testimony, directly opposite that was a large desk that stood high above all else, this was where the Judge presiding over the trial would sit, on either side of the Judge's desk there were two smaller desks that faced directly across from one another, this was where the prosecutors and defense attorneys would sit, and last but not least there was a small enclosure that was big enough for one person to sit at that was guarded by court officers, this was where the defendant i.e. my client would sit for the remainder of the trial. As Professor Tanaka and I entered the courtroom we were immediately overwhelmed by the sea of faces that inhabited the gallery seating. It appeared that this trial had gathered quite a bit of media attention, as there were a lot of people who came to see the trial's turn out. My stomach was already in knots again as I saw the stares and heard the whispers that the gallery was giving me. "Remember, take deep breaths, Hanamura-kun," said Professor Tanaka, giving me some last minute encouraging advice.

"…" I nodded in silence and then made my way over to the lone empty desk in the trial grounds.

Then I carefully took out all the papers and documents that I had in my satchel and laid them out on the desk, trying my best to look professional and not seem as nervous as I was. But judging by the smug look the prosecutor of the trial was giving me, I doubt it was really working. He was a short man with a large unruly black pompadour haircut that sort of reminded me of a Banchou punch perm, his eyes were hidden behind a pair of mirrored shades, and he had a mischievous grin on his face. He wore an all black suit complete with a white dress shirt, a black tie, and a pair of black dress shoes. I could see my nervous face reflected in the lenses of his sunglasses. I felt like he was seeing right through me. I looked away from him and looked up to the Judge presiding over the trial who was currently sitting at his desk, gavel in hand. He was an elderly man with sharp gray eyes, a bald head, and a long white beard. He wore a black Judge's robe which draped entirely over his body. He appeared to be much more friendly than the prosecutor, he was giving me a warm and welcoming look. I smiled at him in reply. Then I looked over to the defendant's pen and saw Professor Tanaka. It was truly remarkable; he still didn't look worried at all. 'Where does all that confidence of his come from?' I asked myself.

For a few moments, there was a series of whispers and murmurs coming from the gallery above. But soon, the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk and the courtroom was silent. "Court is now in session for the trial of Professor Tanaka Shuichi," the Judge proclaimed. He looked down at the Professor. "I must say before we begin that I was dreadfully surprised to see your name as the defendant of this case, Professor. Why I still remember your many years of service in my courtrooms. You were such a brilliant defense attorney; it's really troubling that this has happened to you."

"I appreciate your concern, Your Honor," Professor Tanaka replied. "But I hope our prior relationship won't cause you to lean towards a favorable verdict for me. I expect you to be impartial."

The Judge nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way. The truth will out, one way or another. I have faith in you."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Professor Tanaka replied.

"Is the Prosecution ready?" the Judge asked.

"The Prosecution is indeed ready, Your Honor," the prosecutor replied.

"And the Defense?" the Judge asked.

"The De-Defense is ready as well, Y-Your Honor," I replied as loud as I could.

"Mr. Hanamura, this is your first trial, correct?" the Judge asked me.

"Y-Yes, it is, Your Honor," I replied in a nervous tone. "I...I started a bit later than most law students."

The prosecutor chuckled. "Such a pity, your first trial and you're already up against such a formidable foe. It's Hanamura Kibou, right? Though contrary to what you may think, hope is not on your side today. Your loss was apparent the very moment you came face to face with me, Auchi Masataka," the prosecutor, named Auchi replied.

"Auchi? Wait, that name sounds familiar," I replied.

"Ah, I see you know your history," Auchi replied. "Yes, my family has been invested in the legal system for centuries. My grandfather, Auchi Takefumi, even went toe-to-toe with the great Naruhodou Ryuuichi on numerous occasions."

"Oh yeah, you're a descendant of the prosecutor clan that's famous for losing, right?" I replied.

Auchi seemed unnerved by that comment. "Insolent little…" Then he just smirked and chuckled again. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have my family's curse of bad luck."

"I wouldn't say that it was bad luck. I studied all of Naruhodou Ryuuichi's prior trials when I was in law school and it seemed like each time he went up against your grandfather it was always a complete and utter victory," I replied.

That comment seemed to make Auchi even more unnerved. "Ugh, damn brat," he cursed under his breath. Then his usual cool composure returned and he just smirked again. "No matter, like I said I'm nothing like my family. Since I became a prosecutor I've been through over a hundred different trials, and I've gotten a guilty verdict in every single one."

"You what?!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"It's true," the Judge added. "In the eight years that Mr. Auchi has been a prosecutor he has never once lost a trial. I'm afraid that it is not an over exaggeration to say that you may have drawn a bad hand for your first case, Mr. Hanamura." Then the Judge looked down at the Professor again. "Professor Tanaka, are you sure you do not wish to request a change of counsel? I really do not want to have to be the one who sends you to prison. Perhaps, your outcome would be more favorable if you pick a more seasoned attorney."

"Hey, I'm right here, you know?" I replied. It was like they weren't even acknowledging me.

"No need, I have complete faith in Hanamura-kun," Professor Tanaka replied. "Of all the pupils I've ever had, he's the one who I feel I can trust no matter what the outcome. You'll see, he'll overturn this hopeless situation and break that smug prosecutor's winning streak."

"P-Professor!" I exclaimed. 'He's putting all his faith into me. I can't…no, I won't let him down no matter what,' I thought to myself.

"Ha, that's a choice you will live to regret, Professor," Auchi replied. "The case I have against you is airtight, multiple witnesses as well as damning evidence. There's no way your rookie attorney can win."

I growled. "I'm getting really tired of you looking down on me. If you want a fight, then I say bring it on!"

"Yeah, you show them Nii-chan!" I heard a familiar voice shout from the gallery.

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk and the courtroom went silent again. "Order in the court!"

'Ugh, Hinata, don't get me in anymore hot water. Please,' I begged her in my sub-conscious.

"Well then Mr. Hanamura, would you kindly allow me to test you and see if you're capable of a proper defense?" the Judge asked. "I want to see the Professor go free just as badly as you do, after all. It would set my mind at ease knowing that he's placed his trust in the right person."

"Not at all, Your Honor. I'm ready for anything," I replied in a confident tone.

"Very well, first thing's first. Could you please tell us the name of the victim in this case?" the Judge asked.

"Right, the victim…that would be…" I was at a loss for words. 'Crap. My mind is a blank,' I thought to myself. Then I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. 'Calm down, calm down. You can do this; you know the answer. Remember, you wrote it down in your court record,' I reminded myself. Then I opened my eyes and referred to my profile folder. I then came across the victim's profile and read it aloud to the court. "The victim in this case is Professor Takumi Shigeo, a prominent professor at Raira Law School. He was a former prosecutor who retired a few decades ago in favor of a teaching position to mold young prosecutors' minds, much like the defendant did for defense attorneys." I also took note of Professor Takumi's appearance. He was a portly man with gray hair and sideburns, and beady little brown eyes. He sort of reminded me of a toad to be honest. In his profile picture he was wearing a white dress shirt, a green bowtie, a pair of black pants that were held by a pair of green suspenders, and a pair of brown loafers.

"Very good, and tell me, what is the date of the reported incident?" the Judge asked.

I picked up another paper that told me the details about the crime scene. "That was early in the morning on March 25th. In addition to the murder, the building where the crime took place, Naruhodou Hall, was engulfed in flames and burned to the ground. It was only after that the charred remains of Professor Takumi were found."

"Excellent, now could you tell me the exact cause of death of the victim?" the Judge asked.

"I can, Your Honor. I have the autopsy report right here…" I searched through the papers on my desk for a few moments but I couldn't find the autopsy report. I nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of my head. "Actually, Your Honor, it looks like I've misplaced the autopsy report I was given."

Auchi chuckled mischievously. "Not off to a good start are you, rookie?" Then he sighed. "Here, I just so happen to have an extra copy of the autopsy report with me. Take it," Auchi replied before chucking the autopsy report at me. I struggled with catching it.

"Thanks," I replied in an embarrassed tone. Then I read the autopsy report.

 _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

 _Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00_

 _Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well._

"The cause of death is smoke inhalation, most likely caused by the fire, Your Honor," I explained.

 **Autopsy Report added to Court Record**

"Alright then, Mr. Hanamura. I believe you are fit to stand as the defense attorney for these proceedings. Mr. Auchi, you may now give your opening statement of the crime at hand," the Judge replied.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Auchi replied. "The crime we have here is actually very simple, a bitter dispute between colleagues and long-time rivals. The defendant, Professor Tanaka Shuichi, and the victim, Professor Takumi Shigeo, were well-known giants in the courtroom decades ago. Anyone who's previously studied law would know about their legendary rivalry. To this date, the number of times they both won a case against each other is tied. And around the same time they both retired from law and took up a teaching position at Raira Law School, each teaching classes in their respective field. On March 24th, the day before the murder was committed, the victim and the defendant were seen having a heated argument that escalated very quickly into physical violence. This was seen by multiple witnesses. So it is the Prosecution's belief that the defendant later decided to kill the victim out of spite and put an end to their rivalry once and for all."

"Hmm, this is a very difficult thing to hear. I knew both the defendant and the victim personally, it's hard to believe that either one of them would ever resort to murder to settle a conflict," the Judge replied.

"But that's exactly what happened, Your Honor. The Prosecution dames to prove it. Now I would like to call my first witness to the stand. And believe you me, Your Honor, when you hear what all my witnesses have to say you yourself will be convinced of your old friend's guilt," Auchi declared.

'Professor Tanaka had a fight with Professor Takumi the night before the murder? This is the first I'm hearing of this. And what's more there are multiple witnesses? This isn't going to be easy,' I thought to myself and inwardly sighed. Then I put on a confident face. 'But I can't just give up now, I've got to stick it out to the end. I know the Professor is innocent, and he's counting on me to prove it.'

The Judge seemed to be skeptical. "Hmm, is that so? Very well then, please bring out your first witness, Mr. Auchi." The Judge then banged his gavel, and about a minute later the first witness was brought to the stand. It was a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties, just a tad bit younger than me. He had long, neatly combed blonde hair that cascaded down to his shoulders; he also had a pointy nose and bright blue eyes. He wore a dark blue blazer over a black dress shirt, a pair of dark gray pants, a pair of black dress shoes, and a crimson colored ascot. In addition, he also had a unique silver shield pin on his blazer's lapel, and he wore a pair of gold cufflinks that were shaped like dollar signs. "Would the witness please state his name and occupation for the court?"

"Certainly, Your Honor," the witness replied as he flicked a loose strand of his hair behind his right shoulder. "Ranyou Genkin, is the name. Perhaps, you've heard of my family?"

"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, isn't your family one of the major controllers in Japan's financial industry?" the Judge replied.

"That is correct, but unlike the rest of my family I'm not going to simply work at one of our many companies, I'm going to be a key player in their control. I'm a law student, currently studying to be a defense attorney. As a matter of fact, the defendant of this case, was my former advisor and I was one of his teaching assistants," Genkin replied. Then he pulled a wad of money out of the left inside pocket of his blazer and started fanning himself with it. "I plan to be our empire's in-house attorney, and make sure that no meddling swindlers or collection agencies get to us."

 **Profiles Updated:** **乱用 現金** **(Ranyou Genkin)**

'We get it, you're a rich kid. Could you be any more obvious about it?' I thought to myself as I sweatdropped. To say that Genkin was flashy would be an understatement, it was almost as if the air around him seemed to elude superiority.

"Ranyou-san was one of the witnesses to the prior altercation between the defendant and the victim," Auchi explained. "He will help explain the motive of the crime."

The Judge nodded in understanding. "Very well, witness, you may proceed with your testimony."

"With pleasure, Your Honor," Genkin replied.

* * *

WITNESS TESTIMONY

* * *

 _What Happened the Day Before the Murder_

* * *

Statement 1: "It was March 24th, I believe. Just a few days before the new semester was about to begin. Professor Tanaka was retiring and he asked me to come in and help him move his things out of his old office," Genkin explained.

Statement 2: "There were quite a lot of things that the Professor had gathered over the years, so it took us most of the day to finish. Then after that I went to have a late lunch, and I promised I'd bring something back for the Professor as well."

Statement 3: "After that, I took about an hour and a half for lunch. And when I returned the first thing I noticed was an intense argument between Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi. They were causing quite the commotion."

Statement 4: "I arrived late, so I didn't exactly get the details of what the argument was about. But it must have been over something very important as the two of them would not let up no matter how much the Dean begged them to stop."

Statement 5: "It ended with Professor Takumi taking a swing at Professor Tanaka, who dodged it and then administered a punch of his own. After that Professor Takumi calmed down and went back to his office."

Statement 6: "Then I gave Professor Tanaka his lunch and asked him what their argument was about exactly. But instead, of giving me a straight answer he just said that it was about an old case of theirs from back when they still practiced law and that I shouldn't worry about it."

Statement 7: "And after that I went home, and I didn't hear about the murder or the fire until the next morning. I still can't believe that Professor Tanaka would do something like that."

* * *

END OF TESTIMONY

* * *

"Hmm, I see, so the two professors got into a dispute over an old case of theirs' which led to a physical confrontation," the Judge replied.

"In a nutshell, Your Honor," Auchi replied. "And it's clear that this dispute was the trigger for the events that happened later on. Professor Tanaka clearly killed Professor Takumi over their disagreement," Auchi explained.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and slammed my hands down on my desk. "That's nothing more than a theory. Do you have any actual proof that this is what happened?"

"Oh I have proof alright, but I'm not going to show my hand this early in the game," Auchi replied smugly. Then he pulled a red comb out from his jacket pocket and proceeded to comb back his pompadour. The massive bundle of hair seemed to almost bounce back with each motion.

"Very well then, Mr. Hanamura, you may now proceed with your cross-examination of the witness," the Judge replied.

'Right, next is the cross-examination. I have to pick apart the witness's testimony to find out new information, or until I find a contradiction. Just from the sound of it so far though, it didn't seem like there were any flaws in that testimony. But I'll never know if I don't try,' I thought to myself.

* * *

CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

 _What Happened the Day Before the Murder_

* * *

Statement 1: "It was March 24th, I believe. Just a few days before the new semester was about to begin. Professor Tanaka was retiring and he asked me to come in and help him move his things out of his old office," Genkin explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Was that the only reason that he asked you to come to his office that day?"

"Yeah, that was the only reason. He was officially retiring, so it's not like he had to prepare for a new class next semester," Genkin replied. "Which meant that I had to find a new teacher to be my advisor and a new TA job."

"So you just came to the building that day to help him move out of his office?" I asked.

"Yes, like I said before. He asked me if I could help him, but he was really nice about it and said that I shouldn't bother if I was too busy. But I decided to come and help anyway because that's just the kind of guy I am," Genkin replied as he flashed a twinkling smile.

'Not really all that humble though, are you?' I thought to myself as I sweatdropped.

"The witness will continue with his testimony," the Judge replied.

Statement 2: "There were quite a lot of things that the Professor had gathered over the years, so it took us most of the day to finish. Then after that I went to have a late lunch, and I promised I'd bring something back for the Professor."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "And when exactly did you finish helping the Professor move?"

"Umm, it's kind of hard to say. But I think it was around 15:00 if I'm not mistaken," Genkin replied.

"And you went to lunch right after that?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Genkin replied.

"And where did you go to for lunch exactly?" I asked.

"Umm, is that really important?" Genkin replied as he cocked his head.

"Yes, how is that relevant at all?" Auchi asked.

"I would like to know that as well," the Judge added.

"Oh umm…" I chuckled in an embarrassed tone and rubbed the back of my head. "I can't really think of any reason as to why it would be so important. Sorry, I guess I just got kind of carried away with the questions."

Genkin scoffed. "Are you sure you're a real lawyer?" Then he produced a wad of money from his blazer and started fanning himself with it once again. "But I don't mind answering if it's that important. I wasn't really in the mood for high-priced cuisine so I just had something simple down at the campus dining hall."

"Well, thanks for answering, I guess," I replied in an annoyed tone.

"Can we move on now?" Genkin asked.

Statement 3: "After that, I took about an hour and a half for lunch. And when I returned the first thing I noticed was an intense argument between Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi. They were causing quite the commotion."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "You took about an hour and a half for lunch, so it's safe to assume it was around 16:30 when you returned, right?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Although I can't say for sure, I don't wear a watch," Genkin replied. "Anyway, when I returned to Naruhodou Hall I saw Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi duking it out."

Statement 4: "I arrived late, so I didn't exactly get the details of what the argument was about. But it must have been over something very important as the two of them would not let up no matter how much the Dean begged them to stop."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "The Dean was present for this fight as well?"

Genkin nodded. "Yeah, that's right. The Dean, myself, Professor Takumi's TA, and this IT girl were present for it. The Dean was the only one of us who was brave enough to get involved and stop them though."

"I assume that all of them have been questioned as well?" I asked Auchi.

"What do you take me for? An idiot? Of course I had the police question all of them, and they're also all witnesses for my case," Auchi replied in a smug tone.

I shivered at that remark. 'Three more witnesses plus some damning evidence?! Great, just great!' I inwardly exclaimed.

"Please continue with your testimony, witness," the Judge ordered.

Statement 5: "It ended with Professor Takumi taking a swing at Professor Tanaka, who dodged it and then administered a punch of his own. After that Professor Takumi calmed down and went back to his office."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Did you see Professor Takumi at all after the fight?"

"Nope, he went back to his office and his TA followed shortly after that," Genkin replied.

"So as far as you know, he was still in his office up until his murder?" I asked.

"As far as I know, yeah. But isn't that already a given?" Genkin replied.

"I guess, yeah," I replied in an embarrassed tone.

Genkin chuckled again and fanned himself with a wad of money again. "You ask really pointless questions; you know that?"

I growled. 'Smug little prick,' I thought to myself.

"So anyways…" Genkin continued with his testimony.

Statement 6: "Then I gave Professor Tanaka his lunch and asked him what their argument was about exactly. But instead, of giving me a straight answer he just said that it was about an old case of theirs from back when they still practiced law and that I shouldn't worry about it."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Are you sure he didn't give you any other specifics? What this case was about exactly?" I asked.

Genkin raised his hands in the air with an expression that said "beats me", and shook his head in reply. "Nope, nothing like that. It was pretty clear that he didn't want to talk about it, so I just left the matter alone and didn't think anything of it," Genkin replied.

'Ugh, this is sounding worse and worse for the Professor by the minute,' I thought to myself.

Statement 7: "And after that I went home, and I didn't hear about the murder or the fire until the next morning. I still can't believe that Professor Tanaka would do something like that."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "How do you know he's guilty for sure? No verdict's been passed down yet."

"Well, I mean there aren't any other suspects, right? And no other clear motives either? Usually in that case, that means that the sole suspect is the killer. I don't want to believe that it's true, but I don't think I have any choice in the matter," Genkin replied.

"It's a logical argument, don't fault him for that," Auchi added.

'Even his TA thinks he's guilty? Not good, this is not good,' I thought to myself.

* * *

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "I think that's enough; this witness is hereby excused."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Genkin replied. Then he threw me one last smug look before stepping down from the stand.

'Dammit, the cross-examination's over and I didn't learn anything even remotely helpful,' I thought to myself. Then I took in a deep breath. 'Okay just stay calm, you'll get something out of the next one for sure. You just have to have hope.'

"We have a clear outline of the events at hand. But in order to learn more about this fight, we'll need to hear about it from someone else," the Judge explained.

"I couldn't agree more, Your Honor," Auchi replied smugly. "And it just so happens I have three more witnesses who were all present at the very start of the fight between the defendant and the victim. They can shed more light on Professor Tanaka's motive for murder."

The Judge nodded. "Very well, bailiff please show these next three witnesses into the courtroom." The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk again, and the court bailiff left to go collect Auchi's other witnesses. A few minutes later, three new witnesses were all at the stand together. And they looked quite odd all bunched together. The person on the far right was a tall man with a bald head that was so shiny I swear I could see my face in it; he also had lightly tanned skin and intimidating gray eyes. He wore a brown suit with a white dress shirt underneath, a red tie, and a pair of black loafers. He had a very angry scowl on his face, clearly he was pissed off about something. To his left there appeared to be a large stack of books that stretched high up into the ceiling; I then saw that there was a person who was carrying the books and cowering behind the stack. He was a scrawny young man with a brown bowl-shaped haircut, he had pasty skin and a pair of green eyes that were hidden behind a pair of oversized brown, rectangular glasses. He wore an oversized light blue cardigan sweater, which had sleeves that draped over his hands, a pair of green cargo pants, and a pair of black and white sneakers. And to his left there was a young girl with pale skin and unruly short, black hair, which was also dyed orange in certain areas and partially covered by a black flattop hat with skull shaped pin, pinned to it; she also had these haunting violet eyes which were circled by eye black, and she was wearing black lipstick as well. She wore a blue jean vest with the sleeves ripped off, over a long sleeve, black and white striped shirt, a dark blue denim skirt, long violet knee socks, and a pair of black boots. She was currently texting on a red smartphone and appeared to be paying no attention whatsoever to what was going on in court.

'Quite an odd group of witnesses he has there,' I thought to myself as I sweatdropped.

"Now then, witnesses. Please state your names and occupations for the court, starting with you…the fellow with the same hairstyle as me," the Judge pointed his gavel at the bald man.

'Hairstyle? You're just bald, aren't you?' I thought to myself.

"Very well, my name is Kyoukun Katsuhiro, Your Honor. I'm the Dean of Raira Law School, as well as a former prosecutor," the man named Kyoukun replied.

"Kyoukun Katsuhiro, I thought that was you. My it's been so long since I've last heard your name but I must say you don't look like you've aged a day," the Judge replied.

"Thank you, Your Honor. I try to maintain my body to a high moral standard as well as my code of ethics. Discipline is the key to anything, that's the foundation that Raira Law School has come to embrace under my tutelage. I won't stand for anyone who dares make a mockery of my school by committing acts of evil on its hallowed grounds." He turned his attention to Professor Tanaka. "Tanaka not only did you murder a fellow colleague, you burned one of our school's oldest and most cherished buildings to the ground like it was nothing." He banged his fist down upon the podium. "I swear even if you somehow manage to squeeze out of this trial unscathed, you will not go unpunished by me!"

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "This witness is acting hostile towards my client, Your Honor," I said.

The Judge nodded. "Indeed, the witness will stop being so confrontational."

"Ugh, my apologies, I let my anger get the best of me for a second there," Kyoukun replied.

Professor Tanaka chuckled. "After all these years, you still have that nasty temper of yours, Katsu," he said.

"Don't you dare act so familiar with me, you murderous fiend!" Kyoukun exclaimed. Then he sighed. "Again, sorry Your Honor."

"Now then, young man. Would you kindly introduce yourself to the court?" the Judge asked the young man carrying the large stack of books.

"Y-Yes," the young man replied in a meek tone while he struggled with keeping the tower of books in hands balanced. "I-I'm Mugai Na-Naoki, Y-Your Honor," he stuttered. "I'm a st-student at Rai-Raira Law School, and I wa-was also Professor Ta-Takumi's teaching assistant. I'm stu-studying to become a prosecutor, but I-I'm kind of shy around new pe-people so forgive me if I'm quiet."

"I see, and why do you have such a large stack of books with you, lad?" the Judge replied.

"Oh, I usually like to re-read when I f-feel anxious about an-anything. Plus, th-these hide my face so I won't f-feel so nervous if no one is l-looking directly at me," Naoki replied.

'You're nervous around new people and have such a meek voice, yet you want to be a prosecutor? That seems very contradictory,' I thought to myself as I sweatdropped.

"Very well, we'll try not to be too hard on you," the Judge replied.

"Th-Thank you, Your H-Honor," Naoki replied.

"Alright, now how about you, Miss?" the Judge addressed the girl on her smartphone.

"…" the girl didn't respond and just kept typing on her phone.

"Ex-Excuse me, Miss?" the Judge tried to get the girl's attention again.

"…" again there was no reply.

"Umm, Miss?" the Judge tried again.

"…" and again the girl ignored him.

Eventually Auchi got fed up with the girl's unwillingness to respond. "Hey you, answer the Judge when he's talking to you!"

"Shut up, Shady Guy," the girl finally said without looking up from her phone.

"Wh-What?! Shady Guy?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"In her defense you do look kind of shady," I replied with a chuckle.

"Ugh!" Auchi exclaimed.

"Now young lady, you should know I don't really allow the use of cellular phones in court. They tend to be rather distracting," said the Judge.

"…" the girl paid him no heed and continued texting on her phone.

The Judge sighed in exasperation. "Miss, please could you put that infernal device down for one minute and answer my questions?"

The girl sighed in exasperation and rolled her eyes. Then she begrudgingly put her smartphone away. "Fine, what do you want? I was busy giving a client updates on a problem they were having."

"Well first of all could you please tell us your name and occupation?" the Judge asked.

The girl scoffed and shook her head. "It's Tomoko, Kurosaki Tomoko," she replied. "I'm a…" she paused before she continued, "…IT girl."

"IT? I can't say I'm particularly familiar with that acronym," the Judge replied. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't they those people who work on computer machines and what not?"

Tomoko giggled. "It's just computers, Gramps," she replied. "And yeah, that's basically what I do. IT stands for Information Technology. Anytime someone has a problem with their computer or any electronic device for that matter they call me to fix it. And I'm really good at what I do."

"I see, and might I ask another question?" the Judge replied.

"Shoot," Tomoko replied.

"Why exactly are you dressed like that? It isn't my place to question the fashion of today's youth but your getup seems a tad unusual, no?" the Judge asked.

"It's sort of a cultural thing, Your Honor. Some kids just like wearing black and looking like freaks. What do you call it? Goth? Emo?" Auchi replied.

Tomoko seemed to be upset by that comment. "Hey Shady Guy! Take that back! There's nothing culture-based about my look at all! I like this style so it's my style, and there's nothing more to it! Got it?!"

Auchi seemed to be afraid of Tomoko. He started sweating bullets and shaking in fear. "Y-Y-Yes," he replied in a meek tone.

I quietly snickered. 'You tell him girl,' I thought to myself.

 **Profiles Updated:** **教訓 勝浩** **(Kyoukun Katsuhiro),** **直樹 尚希** **(Mugai Naoki),** **黒崎 知子** **(Kurosaki Tomoko)**

"Very well then. Mr. Kyoukun, Mr. Mugai, Ms. Kurosaki? It's come to this court's attention that all three of you were present at Naruhodou Hall on March 24th along with Mr. Ranyou Genkin, as well as Professors Tanaka and Takumi, is that correct?" the Judge asked

"Yes, Your Honor," Kyoukun replied.

"Y-Yes," Naoki replied.

Tomoko pulled out a stick of gum and then began to chew on it. She blew a bubble and then popped it before simply replying, "What of it?"

"Am I correct in understanding that the two professors got into a disagreement with one another? A disagreement that escalated to physical violence?" the Judge replied.

"That is correct," Kyoukun replied.

"I-It was sc-scary," Naoki replied.

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it again before simply replying, "I recall something like that happening, yeah."

"Alright then, could you please provide testimony as to what you were doing at Naruhodou Hall that day as well as tell us more about this disagreement between the two professors?" the Judge asked.

"Of course, Your Honor," Kyoukun replied.

"O-Okay, I-I'll try," Naoki replied.

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it again before simply replying, "Whatever."

'Three people giving testimony at once? I've heard that multiple people testifying was an actual thing but I didn't expect to see it happen so soon,' I thought to myself. 'I'll have to bring my A game and listen three times as hard.'

* * *

WITNESS TESTIMONY

* * *

 _The Professors' Fight_

* * *

Statement 1: "On the day of March 24th, I had stopped by Naruhodou Hall at around 15:00 to say goodbye to my once good friend, Professor Tanaka Shuichi. I had heard that he was planning to officially move out of his office that day so I wanted to give him my best and wish him good luck with his retirement," Kyoukun explained.

Statement 2: "That s-same day, I arrived at Na-Naruhodou Hall ar-around noon," Naoki replied. "Pr-Professor Takumi had called me and as-asked if I could meet hi-him at his office that d-day because he wa-wanted to di-discuss something wi-with me," he explained.

Statement 3: "That day I received a call from the Dean over there. He had apparently heard about my work and asked me if I could come resolve a problem that he was having at his fancy schmancy law school," Tomoko explained. "According to him, the problem originated at Naruhodou Hall so that's why I was there. I think I arrived there around 13:00 if I'm not mistaken."

Statement 4: "I can verify this; I did indeed hire her to resolve a problem with the school's computer network. Lately there have been some issues that can't be overlooked, and I was informed that the problem first arose at Naruhodou Hall. So I sent the girl out there first and then a few hours later I came by as well," Kyoukun explained.

Statement 5: "Af-After our talk I stayed around Naruhodou H-Hall a little while longer to help Pr-Professor Takumi with ge-getting prepared for the new se-semester. Then at ar-around 16:00, something hap-happened and the Pr-Professor suddenly became pan-panicked. He we-went to go find Pr-Professor Ta-Tanaka and talk to him about so-something, but he didn't tell me ab-about what. He t-told me not to f-follow him, but I was cu-curious so I did an-anyway," Naoki explained.

Statement 6: "I had met up with Professor Tanaka and the two of us began to chat and reminisce about old times. I truly would miss his company. Shortly thereafter, Professor Takumi appeared and immediately he started shouting at Professor Tanaka. I believe it was something about an old case the two of them had worked on years ago. Soon they both started shouting at each other and the commotion drew Mugai-san and Kurosaki-san to our location," Kyoukun explained.

Statement 7: "The two of them were really getting into it too. I didn't know old geezers like that could get so hot-blooded," Tomoko added. "Then I saw that a guy with a sort of rich kid vibe appeared and he started watching the fight with the rest of us."

Statement 8: "D-Dean Kyoukun tried to br-break up the fight but nei-neither of the pr-professors would stand down. Then Pr-Professor Takumi threw a p-punch and mi-missed and then Pr-Professor Tanaka th-threw one back and co-connected. D-Defeated, Pr-Professor Takumi we-went back to his office and I f-followed. No-Nothing else ha-happened until I went h-home at around 20:00, af-after that…well y-you know the rest," Naoki explained.

* * *

END OF TESTIMONY

* * *

"Hmm, I see. It appears it went just like Mr. Ranyou said," the Judge replied.

"Four witnesses verify that the defendant was involved in an intense argument with the victim several hours before the murder took place," Auchi explained. "Clearly this is definitive proof that the defendant had a motive to commit murder."

"Professor Tanaka, what do you make of all of this? Is it true what the witnesses say?" the Judge asked. "I remind you, you are under oath."

Professor Tanaka nodded. "I cannot lie, it's all true. I let my temper get the better of me and took a swing at Takumi. The old bastard was a stubborn fool; he couldn't let the past stay buried where it belonged. He came to me and claimed that he had just found out something ground-breaking and that we had to reopen a case that he and I tried decades ago."

"What was this case about if I may ask?" the Judge replied.

The Professor shook his head. "I'm sorry, Your Honor. I can't tell you that. That case got so much attention over the years, that a permanent gag order was placed on it. Everyone who was involved in it is required by law to never speak of it in public. That's why I insisted that Takumi drop it, but he refused. Like I said, he was as stubborn as a bull." He chuckled. "Or bullfrog I guess, would be more appropriate in his case, considering his appearance."

"This is hardly the time for jokes, defendant," Auchi replied with a smug smirk. "You've just admitted under oath that you had a physical altercation with the victim over this blacklisted trial case. Which gives you a motive to kill the victim, whether it was to keep him from delving back into this case or conceal any secrets you might've been keeping about the case from him, it doesn't really matter. The fact remains is that it's a strong motive one way or the other."

Professor Tanaka scoffed. "Bah, that's ridiculous. I wouldn't dare kill anyone, especially not over some silly case buried in the past."

"You had no problem punching the victim over the matter of this case, if he really made you mad it's not that much of a jump to say you would have no problem killing him over it," Auchi theorized as he combed his hair back again.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "The Prosecution is jumping to conclusions again, Your Honor. All that's been proven so far is that my client had a fight with the victim. They've given no clear evidence yet that he had anything to do with the actual crime."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted right back at me. Then he mischievously chuckled, "Oh I have evidence alright, damning evidence. I said as much before, didn't I?" He gathered up some things from his desk and then said, "I would now like to present two pieces of evidence to the court." The first thing he showed was a photograph that had a time stamp on it, which meant it must have been a still from some security footage. "For security reasons, each building at the Raira Law School campus is equipped with state of the art surveillance equipment. Though it is true that most of the footage was destroyed due to the fire, our forensic technicians managed to retrieve a few stray bits of the surveillance recordings. One of the recordings they managed to save was a recording of Professor Takumi's personal office," Auchi explained. "This still is from that same recording."

The photo was in black and white, since it was taken from a video recording, but the surveillance equipment used to record it was indeed state of the art, so the image was very clear and sharp. I got a good look at the photo and saw that it was indeed Professor Takumi's office. Professor Takumi himself was in the photo; he was sitting in his chair and lying down at his desk. He appeared to be sleeping. Next to him there was an open bottle of alcohol which appeared to be nearly all gone. I also took note of a portable stove placed on a nearby cabinet. The time stamp on the still read: _22:33:46_. Which meant that this still was from roughly 22:30 on March 24th.

"As you can see in the photo, Professor Takumi appears to be in a deep sleep. We have theorized that he was not only asleep, he was in fact inebriated. Due to his increased blood alcohol level found at his autopsy, it is clear that this was the case. The victim most likely died while still asleep, there was smoke in his lungs but not so much as it would be if he was panicking while he was trapped in the fire," Auchi explained.

"So he didn't even know that he was going to die in a fire? Well I suppose there's some small comfort in knowing that he didn't suffer at least," the Judge replied.

"I'd also like to draw your attention to the time stamp of the image still, it's roughly three and a half hours before the estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway, so it is clear that he was very much still alive before the fire started. The fire department has also found the point of ignition of the fire to be in the victim's own office," Auchi explained.

My eyes widened. "What?!"

The Judge seemed surprised as well. "Good lord!"

"Which goes with the theory that the victim died shortly after the fire started, his office was the first room to fill with smoke after all," Auchi explained. Then he grabbed something else off of his desk, it was a plastic bag that seemed to hold a book of matches in it. "This matchbook was found at the scene of the crime. It was used to start the fire and the defendant's prints are all over it."

My mouth was agape at this point. "What?! No way!"

Professor Tanaka also looked very shocked by this. For the first time all day he began to sweat bullets, "Th-That's impossible," he simply said.

Loud murmurs and whispers filled the courtroom and the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk to quiet everyone. "Order! Order! I will have order!" When things quieted down again the Judge addressed Auchi again. "Mr. Auchi, these are very serious allegations. Are you quite sure that this matchbook belongs to Professor Tanaka?"

Auchi nodded. "The forensics lab confirms it, Your Honor. All the prints on this matchbook belong to the defendant alone. The Prosecution theorizes that the defendant found the victim passed out in his office and sought to make sure that he would not uncover any more about this secret case of theirs. He then used a match from this matchbook to set a fire which would kill the victim and eliminate any trace of his being there. He most likely used some kind of accelerant to fuel the fire, like the leftover alcohol in this bottle for instance."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "These are just theories; they hold no water! I could just as easily say that the matchbook was planted at the scene after the fact by some third party!"

"That is true," the Judge agreed with me. "How do we know for sure that the matchbook wasn't simply planted? It looks a little unscathed to have been found at the scene of an arson."

"See, it's plausible!" I exclaimed.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted back at me. "This matchbook was definitely at the scene of the crime during the murder," Auchi replied "I ask you to turn your attention to the surveillance camera still once again." Auchi picked up the photo again and showed it to us. "Please note the book of matches next to the portable stove and you'll find some striking similarities." I did as I was instructed, and saw a horrific sight. It was the same matchbook, the box design was the same and everything.

"No!" I exclaimed in horror.

"The fire department also found that the portable stove next to the matchbook had been plugged in and turned on prior to the fire. It should also be noted that this portable stove runs on gas so after setting the fire, the killer most likely used the gas from the stove to help the fire spread quickly. In addition, the investigators discovered that this matchbox was stuffed inside the leftover bottle of alcohol," Auchi explained.

"So what does that mean?" I replied.

Auchi chuckled. "Don't you know anything about fire? There are quite a few materials that won't burn when they are confronted by extreme heat, and glass is one of them. Evidently the killer didn't know that and assumed that the bottle would be destroyed in the fire, considering that it contained alcohol in it I could see how he would assume that since it might simply cause the bottle to implode, but it seems that fate was not on his side. The bottle survived the fire and the matchbook along with it. This is without a doubt the murder weapon, and the defendant's prints are all over it. Ergo, he's the killer. I rest my case."

 **Photo from Before the Murder added to the Court Record**

 **Matchbook added to the Court Record**

The shock was so great that it felt like I had just been shot with a loaded gun. I collapsed onto my desk and shouted at the top of my lungs. "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" The murmurs and whispers filled the court room again and this time I could hear what they were saying.

 _That's quite decisive evidence. I think it's safe to assume he did it._

 _I thought he was guilty, but I had some doubts. But that matchbook proves it._

 _It could have only been him._

 _What else is left to deliberate? He clearly did it. They should just hand down the verdict already._

I hung my head in shame. 'This is horrible! Everyone thinks the Professor is guilty. Auchi wasn't lying, that evidence he had really was damning. Even I'm starting to have my doubts now. Could it really be true? Could Professor Tanaka really be guilty?' I asked myself.

"This looks really troubling, doesn't it?" a familiar voice asked me.

"Huh?" I looked up and saw that Professor Tanaka was now on my right. He had left the defendant's pen and come to my side. "Pr-Professor?! What are you doing over here?!" I exclaimed.

"Hey, defendant! You can't be over there! By leaving the defendant's pen it's like you're trying to escape!" Auchi shouted.

"What is the meaning of this, Professor?!" the Judge exclaimed.

"I apologize, Your Honor, but I would like to ask the court if I may please sit here with my lawyer," Professor Tanaka replied.

"What's this? Are you saying you would like to defend yourself now?" the Judge asked.

"This is outrageous! You can't simply change counsel right in the middle of a trial!" Auchi asked.

"Don't get snippy, Auchi-san," Professor Tanaka replied. "I don't intend to represent myself. I'm still quite pleased with having Hanamura-kun as my attorney. But this is still his first trial so I just thought he could benefit from a little guidance. He is allowed to have co-counsel is he not?"

"Well, I suppose that is true," the Judge replied. "So are you saying you wish to be Mr. Hanamura's co-counsel for this trial, Professor?"

Professor Tanaka nodded. "Yes, Your Honor, if it would please the court. Rest assured, Hanamura-kun will do all the work, I'm just a guiding figure."

"Professor?" I replied. I didn't know what exactly he was up to, but it meant the world to me that he would come to my rescue like that. Even when he was the one on trial here.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "That's ridiculous, the defendant cannot assist in his own trial."

"OBJECTION!" Professor Tanaka shouted. "Now you're just making things up Auchi-san. By law I'm allowed to defend myself if I so please, so why shouldn't I be allowed to assist my attorney? Admit it, you're just afraid that the two of us together might be a little too much for you to take on."

Auchi began to sweat bullets. "That's…That's…"

The Judge banged his gavel down upon on his desk. "I've heard enough, Professor, I shall allow you to assist Mr. Hanamura for the remainder of the trial."

"No, that's not fair," Auchi replied in defeat.

"Now then, Mr. Hanamura," the Judge addressed me. "Do you still wish to proceed with the cross-examination?"

"Umm, y-yes of course, Your Honor," I said hesitantly. Then I turned to Professor Tanaka and whispered, "Professor, why exactly did you come over here?"

"You looked like you needed help, and two heads are better than one after all so I was happy to assist. Never be afraid to ask for help if you need it, Hanamura-kun. Attorneys can't do everything; you know?" he replied with a smile. "I have faith in you, Hanamura-kun. Just like your name implies, you have hope. And an attorney can never have too much hope. You can do this; I know you can."

I returned his smile. "Professor, thank you. I promise, I'll get you out of this jam. I believe you are innocent and so I'm going to prove it." I started thinking to myself. 'I can't give up now. There are still some things that don't make sense here, I can feel it. I'll find the truth no matter what, and in the meantime I should probably make note of a few other things in the Prosecution's theory. That way I can shove those contradictions back in Auchi's smug face when I find them.'

 **Mysterious Case from the Past added to the Court Record**

 **Bottle of Alcohol added to the Court Record**

 **Portable Stove added to the Court Record**

Then I turned to face the Judge. "Your Honor, the Defense will now begin the cross-examination," I said with a newfound conviction.

The Judge nodded. "Very well, let the cross-examination begin," he replied and then banged his gavel down upon his desk.

* * *

CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

 _The Professors' Fight_

* * *

Statement 1: "On the day of March 24th, I had stopped by Naruhodou Hall at around 15:00 to say goodbye to my once good friend, Professor Tanaka Shuichi. I had heard that he was planning to officially move out of his office that day so I wanted to give him my best and wish him good luck with his retirement," Kyoukun explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "From your statement it sounds like you and my client were really good friends. But now it seems like you can barely stand to look at him. Do you truly believe he's guilty?"

"Without a shadow of a doubt!" Kyoukun shouted as he slammed his fist down on the podium. "Not only did he kill Professor Takumi but he also burned down a landmark building for Raira that was donated to us by the great Naruhodou Ryuuichi himself when the school was first founded. Such a person is as guilty as sin."

"But you don't have any definitive proof that it was my client who committed this "sin", right?" I asked, trying to get a rise out of Kyoukun.

He looked a little unnerved. "W-Well, no. I don't have any proof that it was him, per se. But…" Then he slammed his fist down on the podium again. "I just know it was him! And to think that I was once friends with this monster! It's almost too much to bear!"

I sweatdropped. 'Geez, this guy is stubborn.'

Professor Tanaka began to whisper in my ear. "You'll have to excuse Katsu, he's not himself when he's angry."

I took in a deep breath and then I continued to press him. "Okay, let me ask a different question then. What were you doing before you came to Naruhodou Hall?"

"Nothing much really, I had a meeting earlier in the day with Kurosaki-san. I had contacted her prior to our first meeting and had informed her about some problems we've been having at Raira recently. That day she came to the school for the first time to see what she could do to help, and then I pointed her in the direction of Naruhodou Hall," Kyoukun explained.

'Hmm, it feels like he's being intentionally vague for some reason,' I thought to myself.

Statement 2: "That s-same day, I arrived at Na-Naruhodou Hall ar-around noon," Naoki replied. "Pr-Professor Takumi had called me and as-asked if I could meet hi-him at his office that d-day because he wa-wanted to di-discuss something wi-with me," he explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "What did Professor Takumi want to discuss with you exactly?" I asked Naoki.

"Umm, w-well I…I-I'm not so s-sure that I should say," Naoki replied.

"You don't think you should say?" I replied. "You're testifying; you have to tell us the truth."

"Mr. Hanamura is correct, please answer all his questions honestly, Mr. Mugai," the Judge replied.

"W-Well okay," Naoki replied with hesitation. "H-He ca-called me in b-because he had some con-concerns about la-last year's fi-final ex-exams."

"The final exams?" I repeated in confusion.

Naoki nodded. "Sc-School en-ended a li-little over a m-month a-ago. An-And the last th-thing we d-did was take o-our finals. Pr-Professor Ta-Takumi th-thought that some of the st-students in his cl-class cheated on h-his final."

"Cheated?" I replied.

"Yes, I've heard that too," Professor Tanaka replied. "Recently there's been some complaints from other professors as well. Apparently they suspected many of their students of cheating in their classes too."

"That's just a blatant lie!" Kyoukun shouted as he slammed his fist down on the podium again. "There is no cheating going on at Raira! The students know better than to do something so cowardly! The professors were just concerned about this because more students than usual passed their courses with higher grades than usual! And Takumi wasn't an exception to this! He was just reading into things that weren't there!"

"An-Anyway, Pro-Professor Takumi wa-wanted to me to m-make sure that th-this co-coming year, no o-one would e-even think of ch-cheating in his cl-class. An-And then we discussed t-teaching strategies un-until late i-in the af-afternoon," Naoki replied.

'Hmm, Professor Takumi suspected that some of his students were cheating in his class?' I thought to myself.

Statement 3: "That day I received a call from the Dean over there. He had apparently heard about my work and asked me if I could come resolve a problem that he was having at his fancy schmancy law school," Tomoko explained. "According to him, the problem originated at Naruhodou Hall so that's why I was there. I think I arrived there around 13:00 if I'm not mistaken."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Can you tell us more about this problem that Dean Kyoukun wanted you to resolve?"

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it before answering my question. "Basically the terminals and computers in Naruhodou Hall hold most of the data for the campus. There's even a small server farm there. According to the Dean, an error there can corrupt every computer on the campus."

"And what was this error exactly?" I replied.

"Some files in the internal server were corrupted and were making the network slow," Tomoko replied. "There's not really that much to tell now though, since the server farm went up in smoke along with the rest of the building."

'Hmm, kind of a convenient excuse,' I thought to myself.

Statement 4: "I can verify this; I did indeed hire her to resolve a problem with the school's computer network. Lately there have been some issues that can't be overlooked, and I was informed that the problem first arose at Naruhodou Hall. So I sent the girl out there first and then a few hours later I came by as well," Kyoukun explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "I'm curious, how did you find out that this problem came from Naruhodou Hall?"

"If you must know, Professor Takumi was the person who told me," Kyoukun replied. "He was one of the people at the school who were in charge of maintaining the computer network. Even though he was a law professor, he was surprisingly well versed in those kinds of things. Recently, he had noticed something odd going on at the server farm, and he asked me to find someone to look into it. And that's when I heard about Kurosaki-san, so I contacted her immediately to see if she could help."

'Something about all of this sounds fishy. It's like Dean Kyoukun and the IT girl are intentionally leaving out something important,' I thought to myself.

"What are you thinking, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka asked me.

"I think that two of these witnesses are intentionally hiding something, but I don't know how to get them to admit what it is. Every time I ask for specifics they make it intentionally vague," I replied.

"Well first thing's first, get them to testify on the subject you're concerned about. And if they try to lie or be vague with their answers again, show them some evidence that will get them talking," Professor Tanaka replied.

"Okay, thanks Professor. I'll try that," I replied. "Your Honor, I would like Dean Kyoukun to add information about the computer problems at Naruhodou Hall to the current testimony," I said to the Judge.

"Well, alright then. Though I'm not sure what will come of it, all of this computer talk goes right over my head to be honest," the Jude replied. Then he banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Mr. Kyoukun, please amend your current testimony to add details about these problems."

"Yes, Your Honor," Kyoukun replied.

Statement 5: "I don't know about the specifics of these problems, per se, but Professor Takumi seemed concerned about them so I figured it would be best to let someone well versed in these kinds of things come and take a look," Kyoukun explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "What was Professor Takumi so concerned about? Stop being so vague."

"Sorry, I honestly don't know. If only Professor Takumi was still alive. He could probably explain the problem better than I could." then Kyoukun slammed his fist down on the podium again. "But he can't because that fiend sitting beside you murdered him!"

'You're clearly avoiding my questions, and I'm going to prove it,' I thought to myself as I glared at Kyoukun.

Statement 6: "Af-After our talk I stayed around Naruhodou H-Hall a little while longer to help Pr-Professor Takumi with ge-getting prepared for the new se-semester. Then at ar-around 16:00, something hap-happened and the Pr-Professor suddenly became pan-panicked. He we-went to go find Pr-Professor Ta-Tanaka and talk to him about so-something, but he didn't tell me ab-about what. He t-told me not to f-follow him, but I was cu-curious so I did an-anyway," Naoki explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Something happened? What was this "something" that happened? You're being vague again, Mugai-san."

Naoki fumbled with his stack of books. "Oh, s-sorry. I d-don't mean to be va-vague. The Pr-Professor received a call on his off-office telephone. He se-seemed unnerved ab-about it at first b-because whoever called in-interrupted our dis-discussion but soon he got this really en-engrossed look on his face. He en-ended up talking to this p-person for ten min-minutes. He t-turned his b-back to me and then whi-whispered though the tel-telephone, so I couldn't pick up m-much of his con-conversation at all. But by the end of the c-call, he had this r-really scared look on his f-face. And that's wh-when he im-immediately ru-rushed off to find Pr-Professor Ta-Tanaka."

'Hmm, so Professor Takumi received a phone call that frightened him? That call must have had something to do with this mysterious case that he and Professor Tanaka worked on together,' I thought to myself.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past Updated**

"…" Professor Tanaka was eerily silent. I saw that he had a troubled look on his face.

Statement 7: "I had met up with Professor Tanaka and the two of us began to chat and reminisce about old times. I truly would miss his company. Shortly thereafter, Professor Takumi appeared and immediately he started shouting at Professor Tanaka. I believe it was something about an old case the two of them had worked on years ago. Soon they both started shouting at each other and the commotion drew Mugai-san and Kurosaki-san to our location," Kyoukun explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Were you talking about anything particular during your time with Professor Tanaka?" I asked Kyoukun.

Kyoukun shook his head. "Not particularly, no. Just old memories, really. I had been a prosecutor for almost as long as Tanaka and Takumi, and I became the Dean of Raira only a few years ago. So the three of us had quite a bit in common. When I first became a prosecutor, I actually looked up to the two of them as role models. I was saddened to see Tanaka go."

'He looks like he really cares about the Professor,' I thought.

Then Kyoukun slammed his fist down on the podium again. "But that was before I found out he was a pyro-maniacal, murderous fiend!" he shouted.

I sweatdropped. 'And there's his unbridled fury, right on cue,' I thought to myself.

Statement 8: "The two of them were really getting into it too. I didn't know old geezers like that could get so hot-blooded," Tomoko added. "Then I saw that a guy with a sort of rich kid vibe appeared and he started watching the fight with the rest of us."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "This guy with the "rich kid vibe", you are referring to the other witness in this case, Ranyou Genkin, correct?"

"Yeah, that's the prick. I know all about his family, all their shady back alley deals and Yakuza connections. If I didn't know any better I'd say he's the killer," Tomoko replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "I won't allow any defamation as to the credibility of my witness just because of some slanderous rumors, Hanamura-san," he said to me.

I sweatdropped. 'Your other witness was the one who said it, not me.' Then I stared at Tomoko. 'But come to think of it, how does she know about those rumors involving the Ranyou clan? Aren't those investigations currently ongoing and top-secret?'

"What are you looking at?" Tomoko asked me.

"N-Nothing," I replied and looked away.

"Creep," she simply said before lowering her hat over her eyes.

Statement 9: "D-Dean Kyoukun tried to br-break up the fight but nei-neither of the pr-professors would stand down. Then Pr-Professor Takumi threw a p-punch and mi-missed and then Pr-Professor Tanaka th-threw one back and co-connected. D-Defeated, Pr-Professor Takumi we-went back to his office and I f-followed. No-Nothing else ha-happened until I went h-home at around 20:00, af-after that…well y-you know the rest," Naoki explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "What did you and Professor Takumi do after you both went back to his office?" I asked.

"N-Nothing much r-really," Naoki replied. "He f-felt de-depressed so he asked me to f-fetch him a bo-bottle of…some st-strong li-liquor he got fr-from the We-West…from his pr-private st-stash and po-pour him a dr-drink. He as-asked me to jo-join him b-but I'm not m-much of a dr-drinker so I just s-sat and ta-talked to him wh-while he dr-drank away his tr-troubles," Naoki replied.

"Some strong liquor he got from the West?" the Judge repeated Naoki's words in confusion.

"Li-Like I said, Y-Your Honor. I'm not much of a dr-drinker so I can't r-remember the exact n-name of it," Naoki replied.

"Your Honor, if it would please the court I can explain. The residue found on the inside of the bottle determined that the bottle once contained a strong liquor from the North American island territory Bermuda, called Bacardi 151. It's roughly 75.5% pure alcohol," Auchi explained.

"Good Lord!" the Judge exclaimed. "No wonder the victim was passed out."

"In addition, the bottle of Bacardi 151 contains a fire arrestor trap that prevents any flame from getting in. This explains how the bottle did not break in the fire, even when it contained alcohol. Thus the matchbook found inside would be safe from destruction. Further proving, that the matchbook and bottle were in the fire," Auchi explained.

I growled. 'Leave it to him to use my cross-examination to better his case. But who knows, this new detail about the bottle may come in handy later on,' I thought to myself.

 **Bottle of Alcohol Updated**

"Well any thoughts, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka asked.

"I think that Dean Kyoukun and that IT girl are hiding something but I can't figure out what," I replied.

"Well then it's times like these that you need to buckle down and think. Check over every piece of evidence you have very carefully and I'm sure you'll find something to help you prove your claim. Katsu is a lot like Takumi was, he's as stubborn as can be. You're going to have to be smart if you want to trip him up," Professor Tanaka replied.

"Alright Professor, I'll give it a shot," I replied. Then I looked carefully over each piece of evidence I had. 'Okay, think. Think. What can get the two of them to talk? There's got to be something in here I can use.' Then finally I came across the newspaper that Hinata had given me before. 'Wait a second.'

I recalled Hinata's words to me before the trial began:

" _Thanks, I'll be sure to read this when I get the chance," I replied._

" _You're welcome. And just so you know, there's an article on the back that you might find interesting. It concerns the school where your client was working at, actually," she explained._

" _Huh, really?" I replied._

Without hesitation, I flipped the newspaper over and examined the back of it. Then I came across the article that Hinata mentioned. My eyes immediately went wide. 'This is it! This is the evidence I need!'

Professor Tanaka chuckled. "It looks like you're on to something. Well then, don't hold back. Let them have it."

"…" I nodded and then prepared myself for the battle that was about to come.

Statement 5: "I don't know about the specifics of these problems, per se, but Professor Takumi seemed concerned about them so I figured it would be best to let someone well versed in these kinds of things come and take a look," Kyoukun explained.

Present. Today's Paper.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "Dean Kyoukun, since the very beginning you have been intentionally vague about the reasons behind Kurosaki-san's presence at Naruhodou Hall on the day before the incident. The same can be said for Kurosaki-san, but I believe that she is only doing so because she's acting on your orders to conceal the truth. But I have some bad news for you, the truth has already gotten out. I know what's been going on at Raira Law School recently," I said with an added smirk.

Kyoukun's eyes went wide and he immediately started sweating bullets. Then he pulled out a red handkerchief and began to wipe the sweat off his brow. I couldn't help but mentally compare the sound made from him wiping his head to that of someone buffing a marble floor. "I…I don't know what you're talking about. Raira has been facing some minor network errors so our computers' speed has gone down, that's all."

"Are you sure that's all it is? Are you sure all this fuss isn't about something more severe? Say Raira's cyber security?" I replied.

"Wh-What's this all about?" Auchi replied.

"Indeed, Mr. Hanamura, why this sudden line of questioning?" the Judge asked.

"It's simple, Your Honor. You see, Dean Kyoukun has been concealing a fact that I consider to be truly vital to the current case," I replied.

"Th-That's preposterous. I w-wouldn't dare hide anything in a c-court of law. You for-forget boy, I'm a for-former prosecutor myself," Kyoukun replied in a nervous tone.

"Yes, I know. Which is why I find it rather curious that you would try and deliberately conceal the fact that Raira has been hacked from this court!" I exclaimed and made the classic defense attorney objection stance.

Immediately Kyoukun panicked and started shaking nervously. He gripped the podium tightly, so tightly that it creaked in reply. "Nooooooo!" he exclaimed in defiance.

* * *

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

Immediately the court was filled with murmurs and whispers. The Judge banged his gavel down on his desk. "Order! Order in the court!" When there was silence again, he looked at me. "Mr. Hanamura, what is the meaning of this? If I'm not mistaken, "hacked" is a term that refers to a situation when a person's computer privacy has been invaded, correct?"

I nodded. "That's right, Your Honor. I would like to submit this newspaper into evidence," I said as I handed the judge the newspaper. "Now I would like to call the court's attention to an article on the back of the paper, an article which concerns Raira Law School."

The Judge's eyes widened when he found the article in question. "Wh-What's this?! _Prominent Law School's Grading System Hacked_ ," the Judge read the headline of the article.

"That's right, according to the article. About a week ago, Raira was hacked unbeknownst to the school officials. Apparently, the person who committed the hack, the hacker, managed to hack into the school's grading system and change several students' grades in various classes. And it turns out that this wasn't the first time the school has been hacked. It's been going on for quite a while now. But so far nothing as aggressive as this has been done yet. The Defense asserts that Dean Kyoukun knowingly concealed this investigation from the court to save face. Raira is held as one of the most prominent law schools in all of Japan, and if it is revealed that they have been hacked multiple times they will look completely unsecure in the eyes of the public. Who knows how much damage these claims could cause?"

"Mr. Kyoukun, what do you have to say in response to the Defense's allegations?" the Judge asked Kyoukun.

"Umm…well…I…" Kyoukun stuttered.

"It's true," Tomoko replied instead.

"Kurosaki-san!" Kyoukun exclaimed.

"Why should we stay silent? The truth's already out there, what does it matter if a few more people hear it?" Tomoko replied.

"…" Kyoukun was silent. Then he sighed and began to explain himself. "Yes, it's true. I tried to conceal the fact that Raira was hacked and I asked Kurosaki-san to do the same. You see, I didn't hire her to fix our breach in security, I hired her to find the hacker so we can bring him up on charges immediately," he explained.

"Wh-What? Wh-What's going on here?" Auchi replied in confusion.

"I figured something was up, you're not an IT girl, are you, Kurosaki-san?" I asked Tomoko.

Tomoko shook her head. "Nope, sorry for lying. But the Dean asked me to conceal my true identity as he was afraid it would expose the true reasons behind my employment. I'm a private investigator, one who has some experience with solving cyber-crimes."

"Y-You're a detective?!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

"P.I.," Tomoko clarified. "I'm no stinking detective, I answer to no one but myself. I act under the upmost secrecy and discretion, and my clients are…numerous and eccentric…to say the least. I'm good at what I do, which is basically anything the client needs. My job for Raira was simple, find the hacker by any means necessary."

"That wouldn't include anything illegal now would it?" the Judge asked.

"Not anything concerning Raira's case, no. At least not before I suffered a setback. According to the Dean, that old guy Takumi thought that the hacker was someone who had to be frequenting Naruhodou Hall," Tomoko explained. "But since it burned down to the ground all the evidence against this individual has been reduced to ash and charred debris."

"Excuse me, but what does any of this have to do with the case at hand?! Are you all forgetting that this is a murder trial to determine who killed Professor Takumi Shigeo?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"Actually, I think it has everything to do with the murder of Professor Takumi," I replied. "Your Honor, the Defense would like to assert that this hacking incident may be a new motive for murdering the victim. In which case, a new suspect is introduced. One who most certainly could not be my client, the hacker themself!" I exclaimed.

"Wh-What?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"What?!" the Judge exclaimed.

"Now that we know about this new information, we cannot deny the possibility that this has something to do with Professor Takumi's murder. As we have learned from Dean Kyoukun, Professor Takumi was one of the people in charge of maintaining the school's computer network. If he had discovered that Raira had been hacked and was working on uncovering who that hacker was, it is not that far-fetched to say that the hacker, out of desperation to hide their identity, killed the Professor and burned down Naruhodou Hall, which contained the server farm that Kurosaki-san believed could aid in finding them. A new motive and a new suspect, a verdict cannot be ruled until we discuss these things in further detail," I proclaimed. Then for a few minutes the courtroom was filled with a buzz of whispers and murmurs filled the courtroom, and they would not die down no matter how much the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk.

 _It felt like the tide had truly began to change in my favor, but I knew that it wouldn't be that easy. This was only my first turnabout and the road ahead was most likely filled with hardship after hardship. But still this proved that I did have what it took to be a defense attorney. At that moment I vowed to myself, I would save Professor Tanaka, no matter what. This was only the beginning of my story._

* * *

 **To Be Continued…**

* * *

A/N: And that's the first part out of the way. I hope you all thought I did a good job laying out the ground work for the mystery and setting up the story for the characters (recurring and ancillary). Again, if you are interested in becoming my co-author, please PM. Otherwise, I'll talk to you all next time.


	2. Episode 1, Part 2

A/N: Hey I'm back after a long absence, I finally managed to finish Part 2 so I'm going ahead and posting it. I'm also still looking for a co-writer to help with this story, no replies yet, but hopefully that will change soon.

Mentioned Characters:

Phoenix Wright/Naruhodou Ryuuichi

Winston Payne/Auchi Takefumi

Disclaimer: I do not own "Ace Attorney"/ "Gyakuten Saiban".

* * *

 **Episode 1: A Turnabout Up In Smoke**

* * *

 **Day 1, Trial, Part 2: Another suspect**

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 9:50. Courthouse, Defendant Waiting Lobby No. 4.

* * *

I took in a deep breath of fresh air. "Oh God! I can't believe we actually got out of there alive!" I exclaimed. "I came close to having a stroke about ten times."

Professor Tanaka chuckled boisterously. "You did look a little pale in there, Hanamura-kun. But you managed to stay strong despite the overwhelming odds and were able to reach your first turnabout. I'm very impressed."

"Thanks, Professor. But honestly, I don't think I would've made it this far without your help," I replied. "Seriously, do all attorneys go through this suffering?"

Professor Tanaka smirked. "One of the occupational hazards I'm afraid. It takes years of practice and skill to get to a truly notable level. Until then, you're going to have to be under the razor's edge in each trial you find yourself in. I should know that better than anyone. I can't tell you how many times I've been in your shoes before. Why do you think I have such a bad heart in my old age?"

I sweatdropped. "I may want to consider a different occupation. Being an attorney sounds bad for your health."

"Now, now. Don't talk like that, Hanamura-kun. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. As attorneys, it's our duty to believe in our client when no one else does and fight for their sake till the bitter end. We're the only thing standing between them and a guilty verdict. And what have I always said time and time again?" the Professor asked.

I sighed. "In the worst of times, an attorney has to force their best smile. Playing pretend is a lawyer's best friend," I repeated the childish rhyme the Professor often said in class.

Professor Tanaka smiled and nodded. "That's it. Just remember that creed, and you will succeed."

"Please no more rhymes, Professor," I replied.

He chuckled boisterously again and then nodded. "Very well, if you insist."

"Nii-chan!" a familiar voice called out to me. I turned and saw Hinata running down the hall towards me and Professor Tanaka. "I saw everything. That prosecutor with the sunglasses and the condescending attitude had you on the ropes for a second there, but you kept fighting and turned the whole situation around. You were so cool!"

I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "You really think so? I wasn't trying to act cool."

Hinata nodded. "You were the coolest, no doubt. You've got this trial in the bag."

"Well that's nice of you to say, Hinata. But this is far from over," I replied.

"Huh?" Hinata replied in confusion. "But you said back there that it was this hacker who committed the crime. So Professor Tanaka is innocent, right?"

Professor Tanaka sighed. "I'm afraid it's not that simple, my dear. Saying something in court is a lot different from proving it. All Hanamura-kun did was merely push the theory that this hacker killed Takumi and burned down Naruhodou Hall. There's no actual proof at all to back that up."

"What?! No way! So that means they still think you're guilty?" Hinata asked the Professor.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "It's the Prosecution's job to argue that the defendant is guilty until the end, and it's the Defense's job to argue that the defendant is innocent until the end. So even if your brother offered up another suspect, the Prosecution will keep up their theory that I killed Takumi. It's just the way it is."

"But they could try and prove that it was the hacker who committed the crime. If the police went back and re-opened the investigation, then…" I cut Hinata off.

"That's not the police's job. They only close cases and hand off the rest of the work to the Prosecution. Anything that involves working to prove the defendant innocent falls under my category. The burden of proof rests with me. If I can't prove another person could have committed the crime, then the Professor will be declared guilty," I explained.

"But that's so unfair! What if the wrong verdict is passed and an innocent person is declared guilty?" Hinata asked.

"Unfortunately, sometimes that does happen. It is in the best interest of all parties in a court of law to work towards one single thing, the truth. The truth is all that should matter in a trial, attorneys and prosecutors should work together to find the truth of a crime and punish the guilty party. But there are just some people out there who wish to see the truth buried at all costs; it doesn't matter if an innocent person is punished in their eyes, all that matters are their own selfish goals. And that's why our job is to save as many people as possible from that kind of fate," Professor Tanaka explained.

"So the truth doesn't matter? All that matters in the end is who can tell the better story?" Hinata asked.

"…" the Professor and I both fell silent.

Then a few moments later, Professor Tanaka turned to me and asked me a question. "Hanamura-kun, do you think I'm innocent?"

"Huh?" I replied in confusion.

"I'm not going to lie to you, I did get into a fight with Takumi on the day he died, and above all else I wish to keep that case from the past buried where it belongs so indeed the Prosecution's proposed motive rings true, and then there's the subject of my fingerprints being on that matchbook. And it's only going to get tougher to prove my innocence from here on out. Knowing all of this, do you still think I'm innocent?" Professor Tanaka asked.

"Professor?" I thought long and hard about my answer before nodding and replying to his question. "Yes, you're innocent. I know you are. You would never kill anyone. And I'm going to prove it. Just leave this to me."

"Very well, then let's continue on with the battle. And don't worry, I'll be right by your side the whole time," Professor Tanaka replied.

"And I'll be cheering you on from the gallery, Nii-chan. You'll uncover the truth and find the real killer, I know you will," Hinata added.

"Thank you both. With your support, I know I can win this," I replied with a smile.

"I think it's going to take a little more than that for you to get out of this situation." Another person from behind me suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?" I turned around and saw that the person in question was the pale girl with dyed hair and a bad taste in fashion that I had met in the courtroom not that long ago. Tomoko Kurosaki, who had revealed earlier that she was a Private Investigator.

"K-Kurosaki-san?" I replied in surprise. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the Prosecution's Lobby with the other witnesses?"

"Relax, that Shady Guy doesn't know I'm here. I came to talk to you about the case," Tomoko replied.

"What? You want to talk about the case with us?" I replied in confusion.

"I take it the reason you're bringing this up now is because of Hanamura-kun's assertion earlier, correct? How the hacker that you were looking for could've committed the crime?" Professor Tanaka asserted.

Tomoko smirked. "You're pretty smart, Gramps. Yeah, that's why I'm here. To tell you the truth, I had already thought about the possibility that the hacker was behind this but I wasn't sure. Then before I know any of the facts, I'm being called on to testify against you. But after hearing all that went on there, I'm not entirely convinced you're the killer. So maybe my original theory was right after all."

"So you're saying that you'd be willing to help us?" I asked Tomoko.

"I don't know yet, like I said I'm not entirely convinced that Gramps here isn't the killer. For all we know, maybe both of our theories our right and he's really the hacker, and there for the killer," Tomoko replied.

"That's not true, the Professor is innocent," Hinata spoke up.

Tomoko turned to Hinata. "Who are you?"

"She's my little sister, she came here to watch the trial today," I replied.

"Oh," Tomoko replied. Then she smirked. "So you're the kind of guy who feels like he can take on the whole world as long as his sister's cheering him on? There's a word for that you know? Siscon."

I blushed. "Shut up. It's not like that. Geez, are you going to help us or not?"

Hinata was also blushing. "Yeah, stop wasting our time."

Tomoko scoffed. "I was kidding, no need to get so defensive." Then she turned to the Professor. "Alright Gramps, how about a little test? I'll ask a few questions and depending on how you answer, I'll decide whether or not you're the hacker."

"Very well, have at me," Professor Tanaka replied.

"Okay then. Question No. 1: What languages do you know?" Tomoko asked.

"Languages? Well I'm speaking Japanese right now so I should say I'm fluent in that. I also know English, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, and a little bit of Spanish," Professor Tanaka replied in a boastful manner.

"No, no. I mean programming languages. Do you know any of those?" Tomoko replied.

"Oh, well I remember learning about the one with the bunches of ones and zeros. Though the name of it escapes me. I only heard about it in passing from Takumi a few years back," Professor Tanaka replied.

Tomoko sweatdropped. "That's binary. It's a language computers use, but you can't program in it. I'm talking about real languages that they write books on. C, Python, Java, etc."

Professor Tanaka looked confused. "Are you just saying random words, my dear?"

Tomoko sighed in exasperation. "Forget it, that one question was all I needed. You don't seem to be completely computer illiterate like Judge Gramps in there, but there's no way you could be our hacker. You're definitely not lying; no one can fake ignorance like that."

"So will you tell us what you know now?" I asked.

"Sure, I'm convinced. But we don't have enough time for me to completely go over my investigation with you." Tomoko reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a folded paper packet and handed it to me. "Here. It's my report on the findings from my investigation at Naruhodou Hall. I was going to have that Shady Guy submit it as evidence but he said it wouldn't be needed." Then she chuckled. "But if you ask me, from the look on his face when I gave it to him it looked like he couldn't even read it. Maybe it'll be of use to you."

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report added to Court Record.**

"Thank you so much, Kurosaki-san. This really means a lot," I replied. I gave the report a once over and noticed an odd infinity symbol with what appeared to be glowing red eyes, at the top of the front page. "Huh, what's with the infinity symbol?" I asked.

"Hmm, oh that? That's the logo for my P.I. agency, I have personalized stationary for it." Tomoko reached into her other skirt pocket and pulled out something else, a small business card. "Here my card." Tomoko handed me the business card and I gave it a look as well.

" _Ouroboros Investigations_?" I replied in confusion.

"Ouroboros, the self-eating snake. Some say that the legend behind it was the inspiration for the infinity symbol. A never-ending and everlasting search for the truth, it seemed like a good name for a detective agency. What you got a problem with it?" Tomoko replied.

"No, no. I was just curious is all. Do you mind if I hold onto this card too?" I asked.

"Sure go ahead, I've got hundreds of them," Tomoko replied.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card added to Court Record.**

"Anyway, thanks for this. I'm sure it will be a big help," I said.

"Don't make a big deal out of it. I just want to close this case for good, that's all. But if you are planning on using it, there is one thing you should know. I noticed something suspicious about a certain someone during…"

"Attorney-san? The trial will be reconvening in a minute. You and your client better get back in there," one of the bailiffs suddenly said to me.

"Oh well, looks like you'll just have to figure it out yourself. Read the report when you get the chance, it may not contain all the answers you're looking for but there's definitely a lead in there. I know it," said Tomoko. "I should get back to the other lobby before that Shady Guy gets suspicious. Good luck you guys, I hope you can come out on top of this." And then the P.I. left without another word.

"Huh, she was more helpful than I expected her to be," I said.

"Hanamura-kun, do you think I'm bad with computers too?" Professor Tanaka asked me. He looked a little upset by what Tomoko said about him.

I chuckled nervously. "Well no worse than a person of your age is. But look on the bright side, nobody knows the law better than you. And it's like Kurosaki-san said, you know more about computers than the Judge at least."

Professor Tanaka chuckled. "I guess that's true. Actually, when I was first starting out as an attorney he had already been on the bench for over twenty years. I don't know anyone older than him."

I sweatdropped. "The Judge might want to start thinking about retirement. I doubt anybody could do this job at his age."

"Attorney-san! We're ready to reconvene!" the bailiff exclaimed.

"Right, right. Sorry, we're coming now," I replied. "Come on Professor, we should go now before we get them really mad. We'll see you after the trial, Hinata," I said to my sister, before the Professor and I made our way back into the courtroom.

"Okay, go get 'em, Nii-chan," Hinata replied.

"I-I'll try my best," I replied in an unconfident manner.

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 10:00. Courthouse, Courtroom No. 4.

* * *

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Court is now in session." Then he looked down at me. "Mr. Hanamura, you caused quite a commotion in my courtroom with your outrageous claim earlier. We had to call an emergency recess just to get the gallery to settle down."

I chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of my head. "I apologize, Your Honor. I didn't mean to make such a scene; I was just proposing my theory of the crime."

"I see, and do you still wish to claim this theory of yours? This mysterious hacker person is the true killer?" the Judge replied.

I nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. That is still the Defense's position. We believe that the hacker in question had a far better motive to kill Professor Takumi and burn down Naruhodou Hall than my client did."

"I see." Then the Judge turned to the Prosecutor's bench. "And Mr. Auchi, what is your opinion of this."

Auchi shook his head and scoffed in a condescending tone. "Outrageous claims from a rookie who's still wet behind the ears, Your Honor. The Prosecution's stance does not change at all. The culprit is without a doubt, the defendant, Professor Tanaka."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "However, you cannot deny the possibility that this hacker who has been plaguing Raira could be the true killer."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted right back at me. "You seem to be forgetting one thing, rookie. Evidence. Where's the evidence to support your claims? Without any proof, your theory is just that, a theory."

"Umm…well…that's…" I was flustered. It was true there was no evidence to back my claims, but there was a whole bunch of evidence against the Professor.

Auchi chuckled. "See. You've got nothing. Your Honor, continuing this trial would be a huge waste of time. The Defense doesn't have any fight left in him."

"Hmm, the Prosecution does raise a viable point. As long as there's no clear evidence to prove your theory, Mr. Hanamura, I'm afraid we cannot pursue it. If you have nothing else to say, then I am prepared to hand down my verdict," the Judge explained.

'No! Not now! If the Judge makes a ruling as it stands now, we're finished! There's got to be something I can do! Think! Think!' I inwardly exclaimed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, rookie. It was just bad luck that you got me as your first opponent. There's no shame in throwing in the towel," said Auchi.

'I can't give up. There has to be a way to at least prove that the possibility of another culprit exists,' I thought to myself.

Professor Tanaka whispered in my ear. "Psst, Hanamura-kun. Think about the murder itself and an explanation should become clear. There's something odd about this whole case. Don't you think?"

"The murder itself?" I replied in confusion.

"Mr. Hanamura. This is your last chance. Do you have anything that proves the possibility of another culprit?" the Judge asked.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: What should you do?

* * *

Present evidence

Stall for time

* * *

Pick Option Two.

"Umm, actually…Your Honor. The Defense does not have evidence…to produce at this time. But there are grounds…for continuing this trial. There's something…that's odd about this whole case," I stuttered out. I was making it up as I was going along at this point.

"I see. And what pretell is so odd about this case?" the Judge asked.

I was literally sweating bullets. "Oh…umm…well…the thing is…umm…" I needed a miracle.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: What's odd about this case?

* * *

The murder scene

The motive for murder

The cause of death

* * *

Pick Option Three.

"The cause of death is weird; don't you think?" I replied.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow. Could you explain?" the Judge asked.

"Well I've been thinking about this ever since the trial began. Why did the culprit choose to burn the victim alive?" I asked. "It just seems, unnecessary is all. I mean if I were planning to murder someone I'd just use a weapon like a gun or a knife or something to finish the job."

"Mr. Hanamura, you're not planning to commit murder in the near future are you?" the Judge replied with wide eyes.

"No, of course not. I'm just saying it's a little odd that instead of using a weapon they chose to burn the victim alive. I mean even if the culprit didn't have access to those specific weapons, I'm sure they could have found a blunt object or something else to use instead," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "The method of murder hardly matters. It's still murder anyway you put it. Stop stalling for time and just give up already."

"I'm not trying to stall for time. I'm telling you there's something to this!" Then I began to think. 'Wait a second, now that I think about it. Why did they decide to burn the victim alive? Maybe I'm not just talking out of my ass, maybe there is something else going on here.'

"I see you've reached the same conclusion, eh Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka replied.

"Professor have you already thought of a reason?" I replied.

"But of course, it's simple don't you think?" Professor Tanaka replied.

'Simple, eh?' I thought to myself. 'The Professor obviously isn't intending on guiding me the whole time. He wants me to fight my own battles. He has so much faith in me. I can't let him down. Now, think. Why was it important for the victim to die in the fire?'

"Just what exactly are you getting at, Mr. Hanamura? Are you saying that you think there's another reason why the killer committed the murder with fire?" the Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. That's exactly what I'm saying," I replied in a confident tone. 'I think,' I thought to myself.

"Well then, by all means. Please share your theory with the court," the Judge replied.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: Why did the killer set the fire?

* * *

They wanted to kill Professor Takumi in an extremely brutal way

The murder was secondary; their true objective was to burn down the building

The killer is a pyromaniac and enjoys fire

The fire was accidental

* * *

Pick Option Two.

'Wait. That's it!' With newfound confidence I took a deep breath and then proceeded to give my explanation. "It's really quite simple, Your Honor. The truth is that there was no reason behind the killer's murder method."

"Ha, see Your Honor. I told you, this rookie attorney's just blowing smoke," Auchi replied.

"I'm not finished. All I said was that the killer didn't have a reason behind burning the victim alive. But they did have a reason for starting the fire," I replied with a cocky smirk.

"Wh-What are you saying?" Auchi replied in a flustered tone. "I don't like that smirk."

"Mr. Hanamura would you care to explain?" the Judge asked.

"Certainly, Your Honor. It is the Defense's belief that the murder of Professor Takumi Shigeo was not the killer's main objective in starting this fire. If anything it was just a means to an end. The real reason why the killer started the fire was to destroy the building itself. The whole point of this case is Naruhodou Hall. That was the killer's true objective," I proclaimed.

"Wh-Wh-What?!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

The gallery was abuzz with murmurs and whispers again, but luckily, this time the Judge managed to quiet down everyone with a few bangs of his gavel. "Order in the court!" he exclaimed. Then the Judge looked at me. "Mr. Hanamura, are you saying that the killer was not intending to commit murder at all? This was just an arson turned accidental murder?"

"Preposterous!" Auchi exclaimed as he banged his fist down on his bench. "We've already established the fact that the fire's ignition patterns show that it began in the victim's private office! How can you say that is an accident?!"

"But I'm not saying that Professor Takumi's death was an accident. It was murder, no doubt about it. All I'm saying is that the murder wasn't the killer's primary objective. It's like I said before, if all the killer wanted to do was murder Professor Takumi then why did they go through such an elaborate method of murder?" I asked.

"Was it not to destroy any remaining evidence in the fire?" the Judge replied. "Then it would make the victim's death seem like an accident, no?"

"If that was the case, then how do you explain the leftover evidence that survived the fire? My guess is that the killer had every intention of their murder being found out. They left so many clues behind that it all points to murder. But what if that's exactly what they wanted to happen?" I replied.

"But why do such a thing?" the Judge asked.

"I think I have the answer right here," I replied. Then I began to look over my Court Record and find the evidence I needed.

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What was the killer's true motive for starting the fire?

* * *

 **Kibou's Attorney Badge** – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

 **Today's Paper** – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Raira Law School's recent hacking scandal.

 **Autopsy Report** – _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

 **Photo from Before the Murder –** An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: _22:33:_ 46\. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway.

 **Matchbook –** Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty alcohol bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Tanaka's prints.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past –** Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Takumi got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Tanaka about reopening it.

 **Bottle of Alcohol –** Professor Takumi was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as accelerant for the fire.

 **Portable Stove –** Professor Takumi kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report –** According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card –** One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

* * *

Present Tomoko's Investigation Report.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"Hmm, what's this now?" the Judge replied.

"That is the answer to your question, Your Honor. It's spelled out very clearly in a detailed report made by our friendly P.I., Kurosaki Tomoko-san. I would like this report to be submitted as evidence," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "I didn't hear anything about this! I object to this new evidence! It has yet to be checked for authenticity!"

"OBJECTION!" Professor Tanaka shouted. "It was handed to us by Kurosaki-san herself. And she doesn't seem like the type of person who would falsify evidence. If you insist we could perform a handwriting comparison test but it would just be a waste of this court's time. And I do believe she told you about this report and you told her that it wasn't necessary. We're within our rights to use this report as evidence for our cause."

"B-But that's…" Auchi was at a loss for words.

"All too right, the court hereby accepts this report into the record. Now Mr. Hanamura, if you would please explain why this report proves your point?" the Judge replied.

"Certainly, Your Honor. According to Kurosaki-san's report, she believed that the servers at Naruhodou Hall could contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. As we have learned, Naruhodou Hall used to contain Raira's sole server farm. All electronic information passed through there, so it would make sense that the hacker who has been wreaking havoc at the school would be very familiar with this location. If you'll recall, Kurosaki-san said so as much in her previous testimony," I explained.

 **Flashback:**

" _According to the Dean, that old guy Takumi thought that the hacker was someone who had to be frequenting Naruhodou Hall," Tomoko explained. "But since it burned down to the ground all the evidence against this individual has been reduced to ash and charred debris."_

"Keeping all that in mind, and assuming that I'm right, and that the culprit we seek is actually this hacker. I think it becomes very obvious what their true motive for starting the fire was. They wanted to destroy the server farm!" I exclaimed.

"What?!" the Judge exclaimed in disbelief.

"Wh-Wh-Whhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttt?!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

Murmurs and whispers erupted in the gallery again, and the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk to calm them down. "Order in the court!" the Judge exclaimed.

"Excellent deductive reasoning, Hanamura-kun," said Professor Tanaka. "I believe you're on to something."

"I couldn't have done it without your support, Professor," I replied.

"Just remember to keep focused, this battle is far from over," Professor Tanaka replied.

"Mr. Hanamura, you're saying that the culprit chose his method to kill two birds with one stone, correct? To murder Professor Takumi and destroy the server farm?" the Judge asked.

I nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. It's simple to understand if you think about it logically. The culprit wanted to destroy the server farm, but they couldn't do it through normal means. If they simply broke into the server farm and sabotaged it, who would you suspect as the first culprit of the deed?"

"Th-The hacker," Auchi replied.

"Precisely," I replied. "If Kurosaki-san was correct and the server farm did hold some sort of clue as to the hacker's identity, they would want to get rid of all traces of their involvement in order to keep their identity a secret. But if they stepped in without a plan, they would've been found out immediately. After all, no one has a better motive for wanting the server farm destroyed than the hacker."

"So that's why they started the fire," the Judge replied. "But why exactly did they have to murder Professor Takumi if they just wanted to destroy this server farm thingy? We've already determined that the fire started in the Professor's office. Could they not have just waited until the building was empty to start the fire?"

"The murder must have been part of their plan all along," I replied. "Professor Takumi was in charge of the server farm and had asked Dean Kyoukun to hire Kurosaki-san to look into the matter of the hacker. It makes sense that the hacker would want him out of the way as well. But I think there was also another reason behind the crime. To conceal the fact that the main point of the fire was to destroy the server farm. If they had left behind a body in the wake of the fire, then everyone would think that the sole point of burning down Naruhodou Hall was to kill Professor Takumi, and their true motive would be concealed. The whole premise of this trial has been that the killer used the fire to camouflage the murder, but with all the evidence that's been left over to prove it was murder, it makes more sense that it's really the other way around. The murder was used to camouflage the fire."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. He was sweating bullets. "Th-This is ludicrous! Y-You're saying the cul-culprit used murder to c-cover up an-another crime?!" He slammed his fist down upon his bench. "D-Delusions! N-Nothing more than d-delusions! Th-There's absolutely no e-evidence!"

"Perhaps, but that's only because we're dealing with a crafty killer. You can't refute the logic," I replied. "This whole case is fishy; the possibility that there is more going on here is extremely evident. The Defense requests to continue the trial, Your Honor. I'm sure that if we just keep going the true culprit will reveal themselves to us."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "The Prosecution is completely against the continuation of this trial, Your Honor. We already have a viable suspect and hard evidence, and the Defense just has absurd theories in their arsenal."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted back at Auchi. "I have presented another viable suspect which could most certainly not be my client. This hacker is the true culprit; I've never been more certain of anything in my life. Announcing a verdict at this point in time would be premature."

"Hmm." The Judge closed his eyes and thought to himself for a second. Then he nodded and opened his eyes. "I think the Defense raises a valuable point, I too feel as if there is more at play here. And it is as Mr. Hanamura says, he has presented another viable suspect to the court. This hacker person does seem to have a strong motive for both the murder and the arson. So I do believe that ending the trial now would be premature."

"No way!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

"The trial shall continue, but that being said, where do you think we should go from here, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked.

"Oh…umm…that's a good question," I replied in an unsure tone.

"Why don't you call a witness to testify?" Professor Tanaka suggested.

"A witness?" I replied.

"Well if we're going with the theory that this hacker committed the crime then we should talk to someone who knows a little more about them, don't you think?" Professor Tanaka replied.

"That's a good idea, but who should I call on?" I replied.

"You tell me, who can help us at this stage of the trial?" Professor Tanaka replied.

'Looks like he's not just going to tell me,' I thought to myself.

"Well Mr. Hanamura? What are you going to do?" the Judge asked.

"Umm, the Defense would like to call on a witness to testify," I replied.

"Very well, but I warn you, I'm giving you some leniency here so don't waste this court's time, otherwise there might be a penalty in your future," the Judge replied.

I took a deep breath. "Noted, Your Honor. I'm ready," I replied. 'I think,' I thought to myself.

"Then who would you like to call to the stand?" the Judge asked.

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROFILE: Who should you call to the stand?

* * *

 **花村 希望** **(Hanamura Kibou) –** Age: 26. Gender: Male. A rookie attorney who is starting a bit later in his law career than most people do for personal reasons. He's not that confident in his abilities yet but he has a big heart and never loses hope.

 **田中 終** **(Tanaka Shuichi) –** Age: 65. Gender: Male. A former professor in criminal law defense at Raira Law School, he was actually Kibou's old advisor when he attended Raira. He's a good, honest, studious man who believes whole-heartedly in justice and the truth. He's Kibou's first client and the defendant of this case.

 **花村 日向** **(Hanamura Hinata) –** Age: 15. Gender: Female. Kibou's younger sister. She idolizes her brother and does her best to make him proud. She's a very kind and generous girl who never hesitates to stand up for the people she cares about.

 **裁判 官** **(Saibankan/Judge) –** Age: 81. Gender: Male. A Judge who's a little past his prime and yet still continues to see over trials to this day. But he seems to always deliver the right verdict so maybe he's gotten wiser with his old age.

 **亜内 正崇** **(Auchi Masataka) –** Age: 31. Gender: Male. A snobby prosecutor who's apparently the grandson of the loser prosecutor, Auchi Takefumi, who was always mercilessly beaten by the great Naruhodou Ryuuichi. Though he claims he doesn't have his family's bad luck, and has apparently not lost a single case in his eight years as a prosecutor.

 **巧 繁男** **(Takumi Shigeo) –** Age: Deceased. Gender: Male. The victim of this case. He was a professor in criminal law prosecution and Professor Tanaka's lifelong rival.

 **乱用 現金** **(Ranyou Genkin) –** Age: 21. Gender: Male. The youngest son of the Ranyou Group, who are rumored to have ties to Yakuza due to their almost criminal business practices. He was Professor Tanaka's teaching assistant and aims to be a defense attorney so he can help defend his family's empire.

 **教訓 勝浩** **(Kyoukun Katsuhiro) –** Age: 60. Gender: Male. The current Dean of Raira Law School and a former prosecutor who worked alongside Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi back in the day. He seems very short-tempered about most things but he cares deeply about his school and his students.

 **直樹 尚希** **(Mugai Naoki) –** Age: 22. Gender: Male. Professor Takumi's former teaching assistant. He aims to be a prosecutor, but despite being smart and talented he's very shy and aloof. It's very unlikely he'll make it as a prosecutor.

 **黒崎 知子** **(Kurosaki Tomoko) –** Age: 24. Gender: Female. A Private Investigator who also specializes in cybercrimes. She's kind of rude and just plain weird, but she seems like a good person. And she very clearly cares about her work as a P.I.

* * *

Present Tomoko's Profile.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"Ah, our mysterious P.I., huh?" the Judge replied.

"Yes, Your Honor. If we wish to pursue our theory that the hacker could be the killer then I think we should talk to the person who was hired to find them," I replied. "Kurosaki-san should be able to point us in the right direction."

"I suppose that's no problem. She should still be in the lobby with the others," Auchi replied. "But I fail to see what will come of this charade."

"Very well then, the court hereby recalls Ms. Kurosaki Tomoko to the stand," said the Judge before banging his gavel down upon his desk.

A few minutes later, Tomoko was standing at the witness stand all alone. "Alright I'm here," she said. "So what do you guys want to talk to me about now?"

"Kurosaki-san, first of all I'd like to thank you for giving us your report before. It turned out to be a big help," I replied.

"Glad to hear it. So I take it that you're exploring the theory that the hacker committed the crime?" Tomoko asked.

"That is correct, Ms. Kurosaki," the Judge replied. "Mr. Hanamura has proposed the idea that this hacker person started the fire not only to kill Professor Takumi but to destroy this server farm thingy at Naruhodou Hall. We'd like to hear your opinion on this."

Tomoko scoffed. "Of course, I thought the method of murder was kind of weird too. But it makes more sense if you keep the server farm in mind. It would burn down to the ground just like the rest of the building."

"So you agree with Mr. Hanamura's logic?" the Judge replied.

"It makes a lot more sense than the theory Shady Guy has," Tomoko replied in a snarky tone.

"Ugh, why you little…" Auchi replied.

"Ms. Kurosaki, would you be willing to testify about your investigation into this hacker person as a whole?" the Judge asked.

"Sure, anything to help close the case. I'm known for having a 100% clearance rate. An unsolved case is a blemish on my record and that's bad for business," Tomoko replied.

I sweatdropped. 'Her priorities are kind of out of whack but at least she's on our side,' I thought to myself.

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk again. "The witness will now testify about her investigation."

* * *

WITNESS TESTIMONY

* * *

 _My Investigation_

* * *

Statement 1: Tomoko pulled out a piece of chewing gum and then began chewing on it while giving her testimony, much like before when she was on the witness stand. "Like I said before, I was called out to Raira Law School on a case requested by Dean Kyoukun. He told me all about the school's recent problems. Private documents and tests were being copied from the teachers' computers, several students' grades had been altered, and there was even some restricted data that had been accessed," Tomoko explained.

Statement 2: "That Takumi guy was apparently pretty good with computers, so he was the first one to catch all this stuff and run it by the Dean. Then the Dean asked me for my opinion and I told him flat out, his precious school was being hacked."

Statement 3: Tomoko blew a bubble and then popped it. "Now most hacks are initiated by a group or collective of hackers, but after I investigated some of the planted and changed code that the hacker left on the school's internal servers, I could say for sure that there was only one individual."

Statement 4: "Coding is a lot like handwriting, you can't exactly copy a person's style no matter how hard you try. And every single snippet of code was written in the same style."

Statement 5: "After that I shared my findings with Dean Kyoukun and he told me to go home and come back the next day so I could work together with Takumi and find out the hacker's identity. He also said for me to be discreet about my findings."

Statement 6: "He said that he didn't want to hurt the public image of the school by accusing students and staff without any hard proof. But if you ask me, he was full of it."

* * *

END OF TESTIMONY

* * *

"Hmm, I see," the Judge replied. "So when a person uses a computer machine they have a certain way of doing it? And you can run an analysis on it just like you can run an analysis on a person's handwriting? Fascinating, I had no idea that such a thing even existed."

"Every time you code, you're technically writing. Everyone has their own writing style. When you see enough of it, it's easy to find out who wrote it. The same thing applies to coding," Tomoko replied.

"I suppose that's true. Well then, Mr. Hanamura, you may now begin your cross-examination. Although I have to say I didn't hear any flaws with the witness's testimony," said the Judge.

I sweatdropped. 'With all due respect, Your Honor. I don't really trust your judgement when it comes to computers,' I thought to myself. 'Though actually I didn't hear any flaws either. But the only way to move here is forward, I'll just have to dig until I find something to keep this trial going.'

* * *

CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

 _My Investigation_

* * *

Statement 1: Tomoko pulled out a piece of chewing gum and then began chewing on it while giving her testimony, much like before when she was on the witness stand. "Like I said before, I was called out to Raira Law School on a case requested by Dean Kyoukun. He told me all about the school's recent problems. Private documents and tests were being copied from the teachers' computers, several students' grades had been altered, and there was even some restricted data that had been accessed," Tomoko explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. Then I sweatdropped. "That's a lot of problems. How long had this been going on exactly?"

"The Dean said that it had been going on for about a month, but it was probably longer than that. Whoever this guy is, he's good, Takumi and the Dean only found out about him because he did too much at once. Someone was bound to take notice of all that chaos," Tomoko replied.

"I see, please continue," I replied.

Statement 2: "That Takumi guy was apparently pretty good with computers, so he was the first one to catch all this stuff and run it by the Dean. Then the Dean asked me for my opinion and I told him flat out, his precious school was being hacked."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Did you ever talk to Professor Takumi personally about all of this?"

"No, I only ever talked to the Dean. I only saw Takumi one time when he and Old Man Tanaka over there got into their fight. But I never got the chance to pick his brain about the hacking problem," Tomoko replied.

"That seems kind of odd. Professor Takumi seemed to know more about computers than any of the other teachers or faculty. Why didn't he come and help you?" I asked.

"I think he was supposed to but he never got around to it," Tomoko replied. "Sorry I don't know any more than that."

"That's fine, keep going," I replied.

Statement 3: Tomoko blew a bubble and then popped it. "Now most hacks are initiated by a group or collective of hackers, but after I investigated some of the planted and changed code that the hacker left on the school's internal servers, I could say for sure that there was only one individual."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "And how exactly did you find that out?"

"I'm getting to that, keep your pants on!" Tomoko exclaimed.

"Sorry," I replied in a meek tone.

Statement 4: "Coding is a lot like handwriting, you can't exactly copy a person's style no matter how hard you try. And every single snippet of code was written in the same style."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "By any chance, did Raira keep some kind of record of each person's work on the computers? I mean if you can analyze a coding style like you said then you could compare it to that, right? Maybe then we can find our hacker."

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it. "Sorry, I already thought of that. That Takumi guy was OCD about maintaining the school's network. He kept meticulous notes of anyone who worked on it. Besides him, there were only a few students who helped maintain it. The others were outside contractors, Takumi and the school hired. But no one in his records matched the style of our hacker."

I exhaled. "I see, well that's disappointing."

"The hacker would have to be someone who kept their skills secret. They've probably been coding for years and just never showed them off, at least not to my knowledge," Tomoko replied.

"I see, so our hacker still remains a mystery. Please continue," the Judge replied.

Statement 5: "After that I shared my findings with Dean Kyoukun and he told me to go home and come back the next day so I could work together with Takumi and find out the hacker's identity. He also said for me to be discreet about my findings."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So the Dean asked you to come back the next day to continue your investigation?"

"Yeah, that's right," Tomoko replied before blowing another bubble and popping it.

"And what did he mean by being discreet about your findings exactly?" I asked.

"Well, it seemed pretty clear to me that the hacker had to be someone who was familiar with the campus. So they had to have been either a student or a teacher," Tomoko replied. "The Dean didn't really like what I was implying though."

Statement 6: "He said that he didn't want to hurt anyone's image by accusing students and staff without any hard proof. But if you ask me, he was full of it."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Full of it? Can you elaborate on that, please?"

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it. "I think he was using that as an excuse to avoid the problem entirely. If word got out that Raira was hacked, and by someone who was actually affiliated with the school, no less, it would cause a huge scandal. I think that was the Dean's primary concern, not the safety and welfare of his students and staff."

"So basically, you think he was only concerned with the media backlash? But wouldn't letting the hacker roam free cause an even bigger scandal in the future?" I replied.

"Not if anyone knows anything about it. If you want to keep a tight lid on things, all you have to do is solve the problem quietly in-house. I think that was what the Dean wanted to do. And if that's the case, odds are he wasn't even going to alert the police, maybe just remove the student or teacher from the campus all together," Tomoko replied with a scoff.

'Hmm, she seems awfully agitated about all of this,' I thought to myself. 'She might be hiding something. How should I handle this?'

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: What should you do?

* * *

Press further

Let it go

* * *

Pick Option One.

"Do the Dean's actions regarding this so-called cover-up upset you, Kurosaki-san?" I asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tomoko replied. "I just don't like the idea of this scumbag hacker getting off scot-free just to save face. They should be found and properly punished. If anything what really makes me upset, is that after Naruhodou Hall burned down and Takumi died, the Dean wanted to drop the whole investigation altogether."

"What? He just wanted to give up on finding the hacker?" I replied.

"He said that his friend was dead and that he had bigger problems to worry about. Then he cut me a check and told me flat out that my services were no longer required. Instead of dealing with the problem he just decided to ignore it all together. Can you believe that?" Tomoko replied.

'Yeah, I'm not imagining things. She's really upset about this. If I can just push a little more, I think I can get the truth out of her,' I thought to myself. Then an odd thought came to my mind. 'Hold on, come to think of it. How did the media learn about the hacker if Dean Kyoukun wanted to keep a tight lid on the investigation?' My eyes widened. 'Wait, could it be?'

"Have you run out of questions to ask, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked. "If so, it might be time to end the cross-examination."

I shook my head. "No, Your Honor. That won't be necessary. I was just collecting my thoughts. There's one more question I want to ask, Kurosaki-san."

"Shoot," Tomoko replied nonchalantly before blowing another bubble and popping it.

"You said before that the Dean wanted you to be discreet in your investigation. And the Dean himself seemed to want this whole matter to go away. So don't you think it's odd that the media got wind of the hacker?" I asked.

"…" Tomoko was silent at first. Then she glared at me. "What exactly are you implying?"

"Well according to you there were only three people who knew about the hacker investigation. Professor Takumi, Dean Kyoukun, and you. One of you three had to have talked to the media about the matter. But since the story wasn't released until after Professor Takumi's death, that rules him out. And you've made it pretty clear that Dean Kyoukun was just planning to ignore the matter, so that rules him out too. Which means you're the only remaining person I can think of who would be in a position to leak this story."

"Are you accusing me of something?" Tomoko replied in a hostile tone.

"You're going to make me come flat out and ask it, eh? Fine then. Kurosaki-san, were you the person who leaked the story to the media?" I asked.

"…" Tomoko fell silent.

"Answer the question, witness. And only give the truth. I remind you, you are under oath," said the Judge.

"It was my client's wishes that this investigation not go public, and as a P.I. my job is whatever the client asks for. I respected the Dean's decision. I wouldn't go behind a client's back like that," she replied.

"So you're saying you didn't release the story?" I asked.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "Asked and answered, Your Honor."

"Sustained," the Judge replied. "That's enough, Mr. Hanamura. The witness already answered your question."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine then. But I want Kurosaki-san's last statements added to the current testimony, Your Honor."

"So you still think I'm lying, huh?" Tomoko asked. Then she scoffed. "And to think I actually wanted to help you, jerk."

I sweatdropped. 'I'm sorry if your opinion of me drops, but this is a murder trial. I need to pursue every lie until I find the truth.'

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Very well, the witness will amend her current testimony."

Statement 7: Tomoko looked angry. "I didn't go to the media with the story about the investigation. Was I upset that the matter was going to close unresolved? Sure. But I would never go behind a client's back like that."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Well the media got wind of this story somehow. So if it wasn't you who leaked it, then who was it?"

"How should I know? Maybe the Dean had a change of heart," Tomoko replied before blowing another bubble and popping it.

"Nice try, but Dean Kyoukun seemed very surprised and upset by the article. He had no idea it existed before I showed him today's newspaper," I replied.

"Well then maybe it was the hacker themself who did it," Tomoko replied.

"I highly doubt that. Why would they want to draw so much attention to themself?" I asked.

"I don't know!" Tomoko exclaimed. "All I know is I didn't do it! And there's no proof that I did! So just back the hell off!"

I flinched. 'Geez, someone's clearly unnerved. But she's still not cracking. Looks like I'm going to have to show her evidence of her deeds. But do I have any?' I asked myself.

"What are you thinking, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka asked.

"Kurosaki-san is definitely lying, she's the only person who could've leaked the story. I just don't have any proof," I replied.

"Hmm, well then why don't you take another look in the court record? Examine each piece of evidence very closely and I'm sure you'll find something that you can use to beat her," Professor Tanaka replied.

"Okay, it's worth a shot. Thanks Professor," I replied. Then I got to work examining each piece of evidence I had been given since the trial started very closely, but none of them could prove Kurosaki-san was lying. I sighed in defeat. 'There's nothing here. If I don't prove she's lying here and now, then we'll never get to the real truth at the heart of this case,' I thought to myself. Then I spied the newspaper that Hinata gave me earlier that day. 'Wait, maybe I overlooked something in the article itself?' I flipped the paper over and closely examined the article on the back that talked about the hacking incident. And after scanning each line of the article I finally found what I was looking for. 'Wait, this is it!' The author of the article mentioned receiving the information for the story in the mail from an anonymous source. And the stationary that the information was written on had an odd infinity sign on it. 'Even Kurosaki-san can't refute this.'

 **Today's Paper updated.**

'Alright, time to let her have it,' I thought to myself.

Statement 7: Tomoko looked angry. "I didn't go to the media with the story about the investigation! Was I upset that the matter was going to close unresolved?! Sure! But I would never go behind a client's back like that!"

Present Today's Paper.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "Kurosaki-san, you shouldn't lie under oath. Haven't you learned anything from Dean Kyoukun's slip-up earlier?"

"Wh-What are you t-talking about? I'm n-not lying," Tomoko replied in a meek tone.

I smirked. "Oh really? Then if that's the case, please tell me why I have evidence that you in fact did leak the story to the media."

"Wh-What?!" Tomoko exclaimed in disbelief.

"Is this true, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. I'd like to present this newspaper to the court," I replied.

"This again? We've already seen the article," Auchi replied in a smug tone.

"Yes, but I wasn't aware of the deeper meaning behind this article until just a short while ago. When these two things were given to me." I held up Tomoko's Investigation Report and the Ouroboros Investigations Business Card.

"That report I'm familiar with but what does that business card have to do with anything?" the Judge asked.

"Well, this is the business card for Ouroboros Investigations, Kurosaki-san's P.I. agency. She gave me her card when she gave me the report earlier. Ouroboros Investigations has a unique business logo of an infinity symbol with glowing red eyes. This is apparently meant to represent Ouroboros, the self-eating snake. Kurosaki-san also uses stationary with this same logo, which is what the report is written on," I explained.

"Hmm, yes I see the logo now. Very interesting, go on Mr. Hanamura," the Judge replied.

"Near the bottom of the article on the newspaper, the author talks about receiving this information by mail from an anonymous source," I replied.

"And that matters why?" Auchi replied.

"It matters because the author makes note of the stationary that information came in on. It had a unique infinity symbol on it," I replied.

The Judge gasped. "So that means…!"

"That the anonymous source mentioned in the article could only be you, Kurosaki-san!" I shouted while I pointed at her.

"Eeeep!" Kurosaki-san exclaimed. Then she started hyperventilating like a nervous wreck, a clear contradiction from her usual cool self. The excess air that she breathed out began to cause the chewing gum still inside her mouth to expand into a giant bubble that blocked her head from view. Then the bubble expanded too much and soon popped with an almost gunshot-like bang, and the chewing gum covered her face in a thick layer of pink. After a few moments of struggling to pull all the gum of her face, Tomoko finally settled down.

* * *

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

The gallery erupted in whispers and murmurs once again. And once again, the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk until everyone was quiet again. "Order! I will have order!" the Judge exclaimed. Then when it was quiet, he looked down at Tomoko. "Ms. Kurosaki, you were warned about lying under oath. What is the meaning of this? Why would you try to conceal something like this from the court?"

"I-I'm sorry, okay," Tomoko replied in a meek tone. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal."

"So you admit it then? It was you who leaked the investigation to the media?" I asked.

Tomoko nodded. "Yes, I admit it. I leaked information about my investigation," she replied in a defeated tone.

"But why?" the Judge asked.

"I couldn't take leaving this case unfinished. The hacker was still out there, and I don't rest until my job is complete. That's the oath I swore to myself when I first became a P.I. I couldn't just leave it alone, no matter how much the Dean wanted me to. So I leaked the story to the media, hoping that it would force Raira to let my investigation continue," Tomoko explained.

"I suppose I can understand that. You wanted to find the hacker at all costs and finish what you started," I replied. "You really take your job seriously, don't you Kurosaki-san?"

 **Flashback:**

" _Ouroboros, the self-eating snake. Some say that the legend behind it was the inspiration for the infinity symbol. A never-ending and everlasting search for the truth, it seemed like a good name for a detective agency. What you got a problem with it?" Tomoko replied._

"I've wanted to be a detective since I was little. I've always dreamed about solving crimes, catching criminals, and searching for the truth," Tomoko explained. It seemed like she was truly speaking from the heart. Then she rubbed her left shoulder with her right hand. "But a lot of stuff happened and I ended up not being able to become a detective through the conventional sense. I was forced to become a P.I. instead, but as long as I could still pursue my dream I was fine with that. I just…I just couldn't let this case stay unsolved. I'm sorry for concealing the truth, I was just afraid of the backlash that went along with going against the client's wishes."

"That doesn't excuse you from committing perjury," said Auchi. "First concealing your true identity from us, and now withholding crucial information. It's no wonder a liar like you, couldn't become a true detective. I see some trouble in your near future, Kurosaki-san."

"…" Tomoko was silent.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "While it's true Kurosaki-san's been lying to us; I do not think she should be punished for her actions. She concealed her identity because Dean Kyoukun insisted that their relationship be kept secret. She was just trying to honor her client's wishes."

"H-Hanamura?" Tomoko muttered in disbelief.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "But she just admitted to going against her client's wishes by leaking her investigation to the media. She did that out of her own selfish reasons, and then had the nerve to lie about it."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "But if it wasn't for her actions, we wouldn't have even found out about this hacker in the first place, due to Dean Kyoukun's cover-up. The fact of the matter is, she is the only one who can help us determine who our hacker and killer is."

"Hmm," the Judge closed his eyes and thought over everything in silence. Then a few moments later he opened his eyes. "While it is true that Ms. Kurosaki lied under oath, I do believe that her actions so far were justified. And I agree with the Defense, we could use her help to get to the bottom of this mystery."

"N-No way!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Would that be okay with you, Ms. Kurosaki?" the Judge asked.

"Y-Yes, that's fine," Tomoko said in a meek tone. "And again I'm sorry for lying. I promise I'll be honest from here on out."

'She seems a little different compared to her usual cool and aloof self. I guess what we're looking at is the real Kurosaki-san,' I thought to myself. 'She's not a bad person, I can tell. She's willing to help us, so I have to be willing to help her.'

"Coming to a young lady's aid in her hour of need," said Professor Tanaka. "How very chivalrous of you, Hanamura-kun."

"Y-You think so?" I replied in an embarrassed tone.

"Well then, where do you think we should go from here, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked.

"Hmm, maybe we should have Kurosaki-san testify more about her investigation," I replied. "Particularly, about the day after the murder occurred when she was told to drop it."

"In that case, we might want to get Katsu to testify as well," Professor Tanaka added. "I can't help but feel that there's more to this than he's already told us."

"So noted," the Judge replied. Then he banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Bailiff, summon Mr. Kyoukun from the Prosecutor's Lobby at once."

"No need," said someone from the gallery. Then a few moments later, Kyoukun appeared at the stand next to Tomoko. "I've been watching the trial from the gallery since the first recess concluded."

"I…I see," the Judge said in a surprised tone. "Well then, I trust you've been listening to everything we've covered so far?"

"Indeed I have," Kyoukun replied. Then he turned to Tomoko. "And I have a few choice words for you, Kurosaki-san. So you were the one who leaked everything to the media?" A vein in Kyoukun's forehead started to bulge out and throb, showing his deep-seeded rage. "How dare you go behind mine and the school's back and do something so malicious! During the recess I called Raira's advertising and PR manager, and he informed me that we've already gotten hundreds of calls and e-mails from concerned parties and the media alike! Our school's image is ruined! What could have possessed you to do this?!"

"You tried to sweep your school's problems under the rug!" Tomoko shouted back at Kyoukun. "If anything they probably want your head for not dealing with this situation sooner!"

"How dare you speak to me with that defiant tone! I am your client! You're supposed to do whatever I see is in mine and the school's best interest! You had no right!" Kyoukun shouted back at Tomoko.

The Judge furiously banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Order! Order! I will have order!" Then he looked to Auchi. "Mr. Auchi, please control your witnesses!"

"W-With all due respect, Your Honor. I…I don't think anything I say will make a difference," Auchi replied while sweating bullets. Looks like his two unruly witnesses had unnerved him a little bit.

"Katsu, will you calm down already, you're making a fool of yourself," said Professor Tanaka.

"Ugh," Kyoukun replied before turning away from Tomoko.

"Well now that you've both quieted down. Are you ready to provide new testimony regarding the day after the murder?" the Judge asked.

"If I must, Your Honor," Kyoukun replied.

"Anything to resolve this case once and for all," Tomoko replied.

* * *

WITNESS TESTIMONY

* * *

 _The end of the investigation_

* * *

Statement 1: Tomoko started the testimony. "When I returned to Naruhodou Hall the next day to continue the investigation, I found the building gone and left in its place was charred debris and a horde of firefighters and police investigating the scene."

Statement 2: "I found Dean Kyoukun after that and asked him what happened. He told me that Takumi had died in a fire that engulfed all of Naruhodou Hall. Then out of the blue he told me that he wanted to drop the hacker investigation," Tomoko added.

Statement 3: "That is more or less accurate," Kyoukun replied. "But it was not out of the blue. I had reservations about this investigation from the beginning. If you ask me, there was no concrete proof that a hacker was at my school. As a matter of fact, I still doubt their existence."

Statement 4: "There was no doubt that a hacker was on the loose. I even suggested that the hacker might've started the fire. But Dean Kyoukun wouldn't listen to a word I said," Tomoko argued.

Statement 5: "By that time the police had already taken Tanaka into custody, and they seemed pretty sure that they got the right guy, I was in no position to question their judgment. Besides, I didn't think a person who didn't exist could be capable of committing murder. So I gave Kurosaki-san her payment for her time and sent her on her way," said Kyoukun.

Statement 6: "That check was more like hush money, at least that was the feeling I got from it," said Tomoko.

Statement 7: "Hush money, bah!" Kyoukun exclaimed. "That couldn't be further from the truth. I just didn't want to waste my time and her's any longer. And since I left the job have finished, I gave her a nice little bonus along with her usual fee for her troubles."

Statement 8: Kyoukun slammed his fist down upon the stand's railing. "And how does she repay my generosity?! By leaking a slanderous story to the local media! I want that girl arrested for slander and libel!"

* * *

END OF TESTIMONY

* * *

"Hmm, I see. It looks like you both are pretty divided on this. I can't make heads or tails of this whole situation. Mr. Hanamura, do you think you can make anything out of this back and forth testimony in your cross-examination?"

"The Defense is willing to try, Your Honor," I replied.

Auchi scoffed. "Like anything will come of this. Even I, with my superior intellect can barely follow these two's banter."

"I have faith that Hanamura-kun will find the truth," said Professor Tanaka.

The Judge nodded. "Very well," he said. Then he banged his gavel down upon his desk again. "The cross-examination will now commence."

* * *

CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

 _The end of the investigation_

* * *

Statement 1: Tomoko started the testimony. "When I returned to Naruhodou Hall the next day to continue the investigation, I found the building gone and left in its place was charred debris and a horde of firefighters and police investigating the scene."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "And about what time was this?"

"I came early in the morning, so around 7:00 I think. I wanted to start early on the investigation so I could find the hacker as soon as possible. I was afraid the longer I left them alone the more dangerous they might get if they knew someone was on to them. And it looks like my hunch was right, in the worst possible way," Tomoko explained.

Statement 2: "I found Dean Kyoukun after that and asked him what happened. He told me that Takumi had died in a fire that engulfed all of Naruhodou Hall. Then out of the blue he told me that he wanted to drop the hacker investigation," Tomoko added.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Dean Kyoukun just said flat out that he wanted to end the investigation? Did he give you any reason as to why?"

"I said as much in my last testimony, remember?" Tomoko asked.

 **Flashback:**

" _He said that he didn't want to hurt anyone's image by accusing students and staff without any hard proof. But if you ask me, he was full of it."_

 **Flashback:**

 _Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it. "I think he was using that as an excuse to avoid the problem entirely. If word got out that Raira was hacked, and by someone who was actually affiliated with the school, no less, it would cause a huge scandal. I think that was the Dean's primary concern, not the safety and welfare of his students and staff."_

"He also gave me some lame excuse about how he couldn't deal with anything else now that one of his teachers and friends was dead, and one of the school's oldest buildings was now rubble," Tomoko added. "I think he would have said anything to get me to drop my investigation. He seemed really insistent about it."

"…" Kyoukun was silent.

'Hmm, maybe Dean Kyoukun had another reason for wanting the investigation to end?' I asked myself.

Statement 3: "That is more or less accurate," Kyoukun replied. "But it was not out of the blue. I had reservations about this investigation from the beginning. If you ask me, there was no concrete proof that a hacker was at my school. As a matter of fact, I still doubt their existence."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "How can you claim that the hacker doesn't exist after hearing everything we've discussed?"

"I've neglected to hear one shred of actual proof of their existence. Just baseless theories provided by you, boy. You're an alumnus of Raira, correct? You might want to go back and take a refresher course because evidently you neglected to learn that evidence is everything in a court of law," Kyoukun replied.

I sweatdropped. 'Geez, mocking my law degree? Low blow.' Then I took a deep breath and proceeded to argue. "But what about all the strange occurrences that you hired Kurosaki-san to investigate? How you do dismiss those?"

"Takumi was the one who insisted I hire Kurosaki-san. I questioned his judgement in doing so from the beginning, but I went along with it anyway. Takumi was a trusted friend, so I believed he knew what he was doing," Kyoukun replied.

'Now he's denying everything. He's definitely hiding something else. How do I prove it?' I asked myself.

Statement 4: "There was no doubt that a hacker was on the loose. I even suggested that the hacker might've started the fire. But Dean Kyoukun wouldn't listen to a word I said," Tomoko argued.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So you thought the hacker started the fire and killed Professor Takumi from the get-go, eh?"

Tomoko nodded. "Yeah, that's right. I figured a hacker this smart would have to know that someone was on to them, so I predicted they would try something. I just didn't know they would actually murder anyone to keep their secret. They're definitely not a sane individual."

"You make this hacker sound like he's the Boogeyman. Is it any wonder why it's hard to believe that they exist?" Kyoukun replied in a smug manner.

Auchi pulled out his comb and combed back his hair, making it bounce. "Too true, Dean Kyoukun, too true," he replied in an equally smug manner. "That foolish girl and that foolish attorney just won't stop talking about them though."

I could tell at that point that me and Tomoko were thinking the same thing. 'Bastards!'

Statement 5: "By that time the police had already taken Tanaka into custody, and they seemed pretty sure that they got the right guy, I was in no position to question their judgment. Besides, I didn't think a person who didn't exist could be capable of committing murder. So I gave Kurosaki-san her payment for her time and sent her on her way," said Kyoukun.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So you suspended the hacking investigation because of the murder and arson?"

"Takumi was dead, I didn't see the point in continuing this charade any longer," Kyoukun replied.

"But what if Kurosaki-san was right, what if the hacker was the real killer, and not Professor Tanaka?" I replied.

Kyoukun sighed in exasperation. "Young man, the police force of our great country always do a thorough investigation and hardly ever detain a truly innocent person. They had great reason to suspect Tanaka, therefore it is quite evident that he is guilty. And I assure you, when he is found as such, I will make sure he pays through the nose to pay for the reconstruction of Naruhodou Hall while he rots away in a prison cell!" Then he slammed his fist down upon the stand's railing. "You will pay, Tanaka!"

Professor Tanaka sighed in defeat. "I swear, I'm going to give Katsu a stern piece of my mind when this is all over and I'm found innocent."

Statement 6: "That check was more like hush money, at least that was the feeling I got from it," said Tomoko.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Hush money? Do you think he was paying you to drop the investigation?"

Tomoko nodded. "He gave me more than my usual fee and I couldn't help but notice that while he was writing the check he looked very flustered. It was almost like he was panicking about something."

"Oh no," I heard someone mutter.

'Huh, what was that?' I asked myself. I looked to my left, Tomoko's right, and took notice of Kyoukun. He seemed very flustered about something. He was sweating profusely and buffing his forehead till it shined with his handkerchief. 'Dean Kyoukun? He seems awfully unnerved about something.' My eyes widened. 'Could it be that he's worried about what Kurosaki-san said?'

"Is there something wrong, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka asked.

"Professor, I think I just saw something odd. When Kurosaki-san finished giving her last statement, Dean Kyoukun seemed to get flustered. But I have no idea what to make of it," I replied.

Professor Tanaka smiled. "It seems like you have the makings of an amazing attorney after all, Hanamura-kun."

"Huh, what do you mean, Professor?" I asked.

"Sometimes, people slip up under pressure and make nervous gestures that they aren't entirely aware of. Their subconscious kicks in and reveals a truth that they're desperately trying to hide. The problem is, it takes a really sharp eye to see those gestures. Only a skilled attorney should be able to perceive them. The fact that you're aware of them at your level, is nothing short of astounding," Professor Tanaka explained.

"Whoa, really?" I replied in disbelief.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "I could see it for myself too, Katsu is definitely hiding something. Otherwise, Kurosaki-san's statement wouldn't have flustered him so much. Still though, Katsu was strict towards people who committed perjury back when he was a prosecutor, for him to willingly commit it himself, I can only guess that whatever he's hiding is something vital towards our case."

"So what do I do?" I asked.

"Call him on his actions. He's weak in that current state, so you'll be able to get him to slip up and reveal the cause of his troubles," Professor Tanaka replied.

I nodded. "Alright, you can count on me. I'll make Dean Kyoukun reveal his lies."

Statement 7: "Hush money, bah!" Kyoukun exclaimed. "That couldn't be further from the truth. I just didn't want to waste my time and her's any longer. And since I left the job have finished, I gave her a nice little bonus along with her usual fee for her troubles."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "I have to admit, giving her more than her required fee? That does sound a lot like hush money to me. Are you sure you weren't hiding anything from her? Remember, you're under oath."

"N-No, there was nothing more to it," Dean Kyoukun replied in a meek tone.

"Tell the truth, what are you hiding?!" I exclaimed.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "I'll thank you not to badger my witness, Hanamura-san. Unless you have some proof that the Dean is lying I suggest you lower your tone and drop your insinuations."

'Dammit, I need proof that he's lying about the hush money,' I thought to myself.

Statement 8: Kyoukun slammed his fist down upon the stand's railing. "And how does she repay my generosity?! By leaking a slanderous story to the local media! I want that girl arrested for slander and libel!"

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "While Kurosaki-san may not have taken the best possible actions, I think we can all agree that what she did was only to help expose this hacker. And for some reason, I think you don't want this hacker found."

Kyoukun looked unnerved. "Th-That's absurd. If there really was a hacker, what possible reason would I have for not wanting them caught?"

"Well rookie, do you have a reason?" Auchi asked in a smug manner.

"N-Not at the moment, no," I replied in a meek tone.

"Then keep your little theories to yourself, you're just making this drag out longer than it needs to," Auchi replied.

'Ugh, I really hate that guy,' I thought to myself.

"Remember, Hanamura-kun. You can see through Katsu's façade, all you have to do is call him on his bluff," said Professor Tanaka.

"Right, I've got it," I replied.

Statement 6: "That check was more like hush money, at least that was the feeling I got from it," said Tomoko.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Hush money? Do you think he was paying you to drop the investigation?"

Tomoko nodded. "He gave me more than my usual fee and I couldn't help but notice that while he was writing the check he looked very flustered. It was almost like he was panicking about something."

"Oh no," I heard someone mutter. I looked to my left, Tomoko's right, and took notice of Kyoukun. He seemed very flustered about something. He was sweating profusely and buffing his forehead till it shined with his handkerchief.

Question.

"HANG ON!" I shouted, startling Kyoukun and causing him to almost drop his handkerchief. I smirked at Kyoukun. "Dean Kyoukun, you seemly awfully nervous about something. I wonder, could you be nervous about the things Kurosaki-san is saying."

"I…I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just…I'm just a little hot is all," Kyoukun replied in a meek tone.

"Is that so? You didn't seem to be that hot before Kurosaki-san's last statement. But when she mentioned your actions upon you writing her the check for her service fees, you started breaking out in cold sweat. Could it be that she wasn't just imagining things? You really were panicking when you paid her, weren't you?"

"…" Kyoukun remained silent. It was clear that I had him on the ropes. I just needed to give him one more push.

"Dean Kyoukun, I'm willing to bet that I can guess what got you so flustered," I replied.

"Oh really? Well then why don't you put your money where your mouth is, rookie. Please enlighten the court," Auchi replied.

"Well, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: What made Kyoukun so flustered?

* * *

Paying out a large sum of money when the school was in debt

Tomoko continuing her investigation

Fear that his life was in danger

* * *

Pick Option Two.

"Dean Kyoukun, Kurosaki-san wasn't that far off base, was she? You didn't want her to continue the investigation. When she came back the next day like you asked her to, you tried to shoo her away by paying her off. You were giving her hush money, hoping that she would just leave the matter alone. But that didn't happen, did it? So what I want to know is, why didn't you want her to continue the investigation?!" I exclaimed.

"Aaaaaaarrrgggghhhh!" Kyoukun exclaimed as he shook like a leaf and gnawed at his handkerchief in hysteria.

* * *

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

"You really did want me to stop investigating. I was right, you were trying to bribe me to look the other way," said Tomoko.

"N-No way," said Auchi.

"Mr. Kyoukun these are some serious allegations. Is what Mr. Hanamura saying true?" the Judge asked.

"…" Kyoukun was silent at first. But then he sighed in defeat and said, "Yes, it's true. I didn't want Kurosaki-san to investigate any further. So I tried to pay her off."

The gallery erupted in murmurs and whispers again. And once again, the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk to calm everyone down. "This is very grave news, Mr. Kyoukun. I'd never think an upstanding man like you would try to cover-up a crime. What could have possessed you to do something like this?"

"I…I have my reasons, Your Honor. I can't say any more than that," Kyoukun replied.

The Judge shook his head. "That's not good enough, Mr. Kyoukun. One should tell nothing but the truth in a court of law. A man's life hangs in the balance. I order you to testify about your actions, right now."

"I just can't, Your Honor. Please, you have to understand. There are extenuating circumstances. If I say anything, then they'll never stop," Kyoukun replied. He seemed really scared about something.

'They'll never stop?' I repeated the words inside my head. 'Who's they?'

The Judge's eyes widened in disbelief. "I…I don't know what to make of this. No witness has ever politely declined to testify in my courtroom."

"…" Kyoukun went silent.

"Hey witness! What are you doing?! You heard the Judge, testify!" Auchi shouted at Kyoukun.

"…" Kyoukun still remained silent.

"H-Hey why are you ignoring me?" Auchi replied.

"Katsu?" Professor Tanaka seemed confused as well.

'We're never going to get anywhere unless we get the truth out of the Dean,' I thought to myself. 'I was right on the money; he's definitely hiding something. He said that if he says anything, they'll never stop. What does that mean? Who won't stop doing what?' Then my eyes widened. 'Wait a second. That's it. There's only one person he could be talking about. So that's what's going on. I know what to do.' Then I sighed. 'But I don't know what will come of this if I decide to follow this lead. I may just end up making things worse, not just for the Professor but also for Dean Kyoukun.' Then I shook my head. 'No, now's no time to think like that. I have to keep going, I have to find the truth no matter what.'

"It seems we've reached an impasse. There is clearly something mysterious at play here but without Mr. Kyoukun's testimony we have no way of knowing just what that is. I'm afraid we will have to end the trial as it stands," said the Judge.

Auchi chuckled in glee as he combed back his hair. "Fine by me, Your Honor. Looks like my winning streak continues."

"Mr. Hanamura, do you have anything to add?" the Judge asked.

"…" I remained silent while I collected my thoughts.

"Very well then, if there's nothing else left to explore…" said the Judge.

"H-Hanamura-kun? The Judge is about to deliver his verdict," Professor Tanaka said in a worried tone.

"Hanamura?" Tomoko muttered in a worried tone.

'I can't stop now. I can't. I've come too far just to back down now. If I stop searching for the truth here, then I'll never find _them_. Everything I've worked for, it will all have been for nothing,' I thought to myself.

"I shall now hand down my verdict," the Judge continued. "I hereby pronounce the defendant, Professor Tanaka Shuichi…"

"HOLD IT!" I shouted.

"Wh-What?!" the Judge exclaimed in surprise. "Mr. Hanamura, I haven't heard anything from you for quite some time. I thought that meant you were throwing in the towel."

"You'd do well to go ahead and quit now, rookie. Nothing more will come of this fruitless endeavor," said Auchi.

"No, I never give up. That's like my one good quality," I replied. "Sorry for not responding earlier, Your Honor. I was just collecting my thoughts. I think I've figured out exactly why Dean Kyoukun won't tell us what he knows. And if I'm right, this could be exactly the proof that we're looking for that proves the hacker is the true killer."

Auchi cackled. "Wow, you've bluffed before, but that has to be the biggest one yet, without a doubt."

"I must agree with Prosecution, those are very bold claims, Mr. Hanamura. Are you sure you have the answers to back them up?" the Judge asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm certain, Your Honor."

"Very well, but I must warn you. If you are bluffing, then I will end this trial immediately. So I pray for your and the Professor's sake, that you do have the answers."

I took a deep breath. "I'm willing to take that bet, Your Honor," I replied with newfound confidence.

"Alright then, please enlighten the court. Why is Dean Kyoukun refusing to testify?" the Judge asked.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: Why is Dean Kyoukun refusing to testify?

* * *

He's being blackmailed by the hacker

He's the hacker and he doesn't want to get caught

He thinks Professor Takumi was the hacker and he doesn't want to admit it

* * *

Pick Option One.

"Dean Kyoukun, you're not testifying because you're afraid of what might happen if you do. Isn't that right?" I asked.

"…!" Kyoukun's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I understand what's going on here. They've already gotten to you. You're not testifying because you think if you stay silent like they told you to do, then this will all be over. But you've got to trust me on this, whatever they promised you isn't worth it. You know that Professor Tanaka is innocent, and by staying silent all you're really doing is sealing his fate. I realize that what they offered you might sound like a good deal if you think about it rationally, but all you're doing by playing along with their demands is letting them win. Please, just admit what they've done and I promise I will bring them to justice and make sure they can never act on their threat. But I can't do that without your help. If you really want this to end, you have to tell the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but," I said to Kyoukun.

"Wh-What's all this? What on Earth are you talking about?" Auchi asked in confusion.

"Mr. Hanamura, are you saying that the witness is being blackmailed by someone?" the Judge asked.

"Hanamura-kun?" Professor Tanaka muttered in confusion.

I nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. That's exactly what happened. And it's not just anyone who's blackmailing the Dean, it's our mischievous hacker. Isn't that right, Dean Kyoukun?" I asked.

"…" Kyoukun stayed silent.

Auchi cackled again. "I knew it! You were just bluffing the whole time! Not only are accusing this hacker of arson and murder, but now blackmail too! You really are just a wet behind the ears rookie, aren't you Hanamura-san?!"

Kyoukun looked down at the floor and then he took a deep breath. "Yes, it's all true."

"What?!" the Judge exclaimed in disbelief.

"What?!" Tomoko exclaimed in disbelief.

"What?!" Professor Tanaka exclaimed in disbelief.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt?!" Auchi shouted at the top of his lungs.

The gallery erupted in an even louder than usual, sea of whispers and murmurs. The Judge had to bang his gavel down upon his desk for about ten times to get them to settle down. "Order! Order! Order! I will have order!" Then when it was quiet again, the Judge shouted at Kyoukun. "Mr. Kyoukun, what is the meaning of this?! Are you really being blackmailed?!"

Kyoukun nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. And I have proof too." Then Kyoukun reached into his left side pants pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper. "The morning following the fire at Naruhodou Hall and the discovery of Takumi's body, I found this note had been slipped under my office door." Kyoukun unfolded the note and then handed it to the Judge.

"What's this now?" the Judge asked. Then he squinted his eyes while he read aloud from the note. " _So have you been to Naruhodou Hall yet? How did you like my handiwork? If you know what's good for you, you'll call off that pet P.I. of yours and get her to drop the investigation you have into me. That's right, I already know everything. You can't hide anything from me. And if the cops come and ask you to testify, you're not to show them this note or speak a single word about me. Follow my commands, and when this is all over I won't bother your stupid school anymore, and you'll never hear from me again. But if you don't, who knows what will happen? This school is pretty old, accidents happen all the time. Don't test me, I've already killed once I have no qualms about killing again. Sincerely, You-Know-Who._ " The Judge's eyes widened in disbelief. "So it's true! The hacker really did blackmail you!"

"And if you read the note, Your Honor. It's clearly a confession, this proves that the hacker is the true killer," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "Th-That doesn't prove anything. For all we know it's part of some elaborate hoax concocted by the witness and the defendant."

"I am strongly inclined to disagree with you, Mr. Auchi. This note does not seem like a hoax to me. If I was the one who had received this note, I wouldn't question doing whatever the sender told me to do. You were just thinking about the safety of your students and faculty, isn't that right Mr. Kyoukun?" the Judge asked.

Kyoukun nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. I'm sorry for keeping this from the court, but I was terribly frightened of what the hacker might do if I told anyone about this." Then he turned to Tomoko. "And I'm sorry from keeping this from you as well, Kurosaki-san. I know you were just trying to do your job and help me."

"No hard feelings, I get why you did what you did now," Tomoko replied.

Then Dean Kyoukun turned to me. "And thank you, boy, for giving me the courage to fight back. You really are a good attorney. Tanaka has taught you well."

"Th-Thank you, Sir," I replied in a semi-embarrassed tone.

Professor Tanaka chuckled. "I really have, haven't I? I'm a pretty good teacher if I may say so myself."

"I'm trusting you to put an end to this dark case once and for all, avenge Takumi and bring the hacker to justice. I'll help you in any way I can," Kyoukun replied.

I nodded. "That's just what I intend to."

 _But little did I know, that would be easier said than done. I had no idea just what laid in store for me in my hunt for the truth behind Professor Takumi's death._

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**

* * *

A/N: And that's Part 2, hopefully I'll have Part 3 done soon. And I'm planning on doing four parts in case anyone's wondering. Till next time, please read and review.


	3. Episode 1, Part 3

A/N: Alright here's Part 3 of 4. Hope you guys enjoy it. And I'm still looking for a co-author if anybody's interested. Nobody's contacted me about the position yet.

Mentioned Characters:

Phoenix Wright/Naruhodou Ryuuichi

Winston Payne/Auchi Takefumi

Kristoph Gavin/Garyuu Kirihito

Disclaimer: I do not own "Ace Attorney"/ "Gyakuten Saiban".

* * *

 **Episode 1: A Turnabout Up In Smoke**

* * *

 **Day 1, Trial, Part 3: The Plot Thickens**

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 10:34. Courthouse, Courtroom No. 4.

* * *

The gallery continued to whisper and murmur things among themselves, until finally the Judge silenced the courtroom by banging his gavel down upon his desk. "Order!" the Judge exclaimed. "This new testimony given by Mr. Kyoukun has been very enlightening." The Judge held up the note that Kyoukun had received from the hacker.

 **Kyoukun's Blackmail Note added to Court Record.**

"If this note rings true, this mysterious hacker individual does indeed exist. And furthermore, they seem to claim responsibility for the fire at Naruhodou Hall as well as the murder of Professor Takumi. Mr. Hanamura, how do you suggest we proceed from here?" the Judge asked.

"Well Your Honor, it is the Defense's position that we once and for all proclaim that the hacker is the killer. In light of this new information, I move for a not guilty verdict for my client," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "That would be a grave miscarriage of justice, Your Honor. While the Prosecution does admit that this hacker does appear to exist, there is no clear evidence to their identity as well as that they had anything to do with this crime. What about my theory? This whole thing could be an elaborate hoax concocted by the defendant and the witness."

I sweatdropped. "You can't be serious. You're saying that they planned this whole thing out, down to Kyoukun's lying under oath and his utter denial of the facts?"

Auchi looked unnerved. "W-Well, it's still a possibility."

"Hmm, in light of this new development, I am tempted to go along with the Defense's request. Your theory of this all being a hoax sounds a little far-fetched, Mr. Auchi," the Judge replied.

"Arrgh," Auchi grunted. Then his expression suddenly changed. "But considering the other evidence, I think it's a strong possibility that I'm right, Your Honor. Have you forgotten the matches found at the scene of the crime which bear the defendant's fingerprints?" Auchi asked as he held up the matchbook.

I gasped and then began to sweat bullets. "Crap, I forgot about the matchbook."

Auchi cackled as he pulled out his comb and combed back his large mass of hair. "You see, Your Honor? All the Defense has done is prove that another suspect exists. They have yet to establish the fact that their suspect is the true killer, and that's going to be hard to prove when all the evidence points to the contrary."

The Judge shook his head. "I'm afraid Mr. Auchi raises a fair point, Mr. Hanamura. I must deny your request."

'Damn, we were so close. If it weren't for that matchbook, we would've been home free,' I thought to myself. 'Alright, stay calm. You can do this, you just have to find a way to dismiss that matchbook as circumstantial, and find some evidence that nails the hacker as the killer.' Then I began to sweat bullets again. 'Of course, that's going to be hard to prove without knowing the hacker's true identity.'

"So where should we go from here?" the Judge asked.

"Don't ask me, Your Honor. The Prosecution has already presented its case fully; this is the Defense's show now. And the moment he runs out of stalling tactics and tricks, this trial is over," Auchi replied in a cocky manner.

'Nice, lay it all on me. Really nice!' I inwardly exclaimed. 'This trial was just really starting to swing in our favor, and in one fell swoop the tables have turned again!'

"Well Mr. Hanamura? Does the Defense have an idea of what we should do to continue this trial? If there really is nothing else to add, then I'm afraid I must deliver an unfavorable verdict against your client," the Judge replied.

"Umm…well…that's…I…" I didn't have a single idea.

"Oh don't tell me you're out of steam already, rookie? Oh well, you lasted longer than I thought you would," Auchi replied. "There's no shame in throwing in the towel now."

"Hanamura-kun, don't tell me you're giving up now? You've come so far," said Professor Tanaka. Then he began to sweat. "And I really don't want to be convicted of murder either."

"Of course not, there's no way I'm giving up. I just…I don't know what to do. My mind is a total blank," I admitted out of despair. "The only way we can keep going forward is if we get around the obstacle of the matchbook. But how do we do that? Even you've admitted that you don't know how your fingerprints ended up on it."

"Hmm…" Professor Tanaka stroked his chin and contemplated my predicament. Then a few moments later his eyes shot wide open. "…!"

"Professor? What is it?" I asked.

"I remember," he replied. Then he turned to me. "That matchbook. I know how my fingerprints got onto it."

"What?! Seriously?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. "How?! How did it happen?!"

Professor Tanaka's face turned stern and serious. "It happened when I was using it as evidence in a trial."

"What? That matchbook was evidence in another trial?" I asked in confusion.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "And not just any trial. It was the last trial I was involved in. It too was a murder case as well."

"…!" My eyes widened. "Professor, are you talking about _that_ case? The one you and Professor Takumi both worked on? The one that you can't talk about even now?"

Professor Tanaka nodded. "The very same."

"But if that's true, then what does this mean? Could those prints be leftover from back when you worked on that case?" I asked.

"It's possible, but that was almost twenty-five years ago," Professor Tanaka replied. "There's a strong possibility that if any prints were left on the matchbook, they would've been far too degraded to show up in a forensics investigation. And there's no way of even telling if that's the same matchbook. I just remember that the book's design looked very similar. Unless…" Professor Tanaka stroked his chin again. "…!" And then a few moments later his eyes widened again. "Of course!" he exclaimed. Then his expression turned to grief. He sighed. "Takumi, you old fool. You couldn't let it go even after all these years. Why would you go so far for someone who was my friend?" he asked himself.

"Pr-Professor?" I replied out of concern.

"It's nothing, don't worry. More importantly, I've figured it out. That matchbook is definitely the same one from mine and Takumi's old case. Takumi must have gotten it from the police's evidence lockup," Professor Tanaka replied.

"He obtained evidence in a murder case so easily?" I replied.

"Evidence in cases that have been solved or have gone cold for five years at the most, are carefully shipped off to a secure storage warehouse by the police. This system was enacted around the time that the Initial Trial System first came into play. There got to be so many criminal cases that the police just couldn't handle keeping all the evidence under lock and key. When evidence is shipped to this warehouse, it's considered forgotten. Nobody really kicks up much of a fuss about borrowing it. And Takumi was a prosecutor back in the old days, so it probably didn't take much effort to take the evidence for himself. He was obsessed with that case; we both were for a long time, even after we were forbidden by law from discussing it anymore. But we agreed before we started teaching to put an end to the obsession once and for all before it consumed us." Then he sighed again. "Looks like it had still been nagging at Takumi for all these years though. He went so far as to get the original crime scene evidence and examine it himself."

"If he really was looking into the case again, then that would explain the out-of-the-blue phone call he received about it. Someone must have found out that he unofficially re-opened the case," Professor Tanaka added. "Could it be? Was the caller the culprit from that incident?"

"Professor, do you think that this murder case of yours has anything to do with Professor Takumi's murder?" I asked.

Professor Tanaka shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly haven't a clue. But one thing's for sure, if we're going to discredit that matchbook then we have to prove its connection to mine and Takumi's case, or we're as good as finished. Do you think you can handle it on your own from here?"

I nodded. "Yes, I think I can, Professor. I know what I should do. Are you ready?"

Professor Tanaka sighed again. "On some level I knew it would come to this. Do me a favor and don't go easy on me."

"You've got it," I replied.

"Ahem, if you two are quite done whispering amongst yourselves like a couple of gossiping school girls, perhaps we can get back to the conclusion of this boondoggle of a trial," said Auchi.

"Yes, I think the court's waited long enough as well," the Judge added. "If there's nothing else left to add, then I'm sorry Mr. Hanamura, but I'm afraid I must pass my…"

"HOLD IT!" I shouted, startling the Judge.

"If you have something to say, you don't have to shout, Mr. Hanamura. I may be old but I'm certainly not deaf," the Judge replied.

I smirked and rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "Sorry, Your Honor. Occupational force of habit. I was just going to say that the Defense can prove that my client's prints being on that matchbook is a mere coincidence." I shook my head. "It in no way means he started that fire."

"R-Really?!" the Judge exclaimed.

Auchi cackled. "Ha, that's your biggest bluff so far. I admit, you turned a few of my witnesses against true justice but there's no way you can use your tricks to discredit my water-tight evidence. Go ahead and try."

"Okay, I will, thanks," I replied in a cocky manner.

My tone unsettled Auchi. "Wh-What? You're seriously going to do it?"

I nodded. "I'll show you my brand of "true justice" by catching the true killer red-handed. And if that means I have to go through you and your red-herring evidence, then so be it." I slammed my hands down on my desk. "If it's okay with you, Your Honor. The Defense would like to call their own witness to the stand."

"What?! A new witness?! I wasn't informed of this!" Auchi exclaimed.

"A new witness? Well this is surprising but I don't see any reason why I shouldn't accept your request," the Judge replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. He was sweating bullets. "I can think of a million reasons, Your Honor! I just…need some time…to think of all of them!"

"Well while you're doing that, Mr. Auchi, I think I'll go ahead and grant the Defense's request," the Judge replied.

"No waaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Alright Mr. Hanamura, just who is this surprise witness of yours?"

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROFILE: Who's your surprise witness?

* * *

 **花村 希望** **(Hanamura Kibou) –** Age: 26. Gender: Male. A rookie attorney who is starting a bit later in his law career than most people do for personal reasons. He's not that confident in his abilities yet but he has a big heart and never loses hope.

 **田中 終** **(Tanaka Shuichi) –** Age: 65. Gender: Male. A former professor in criminal law defense at Raira Law School, he was actually Kibou's old advisor when he attended Raira. He's a good, honest, studious man who believes whole-heartedly in justice and the truth. He's Kibou's first client and the defendant of this case.

 **花村 日向** **(Hanamura Hinata) –** Age: 15. Gender: Female. Kibou's younger sister. She idolizes her brother and does her best to make him proud. She's a very kind and generous girl who never hesitates to stand up for the people she cares about.

 **裁判 官** **(Saibankan/Judge) –** Age: 81. Gender: Male. A Judge who's a little past his prime and yet still continues to see over trials to this day. But he seems to always deliver the right verdict so maybe he's gotten wiser with his old age.

 **亜内 正崇** **(Auchi Masataka) –** Age: 31. Gender: Male. A snobby prosecutor who's apparently the grandson of the loser prosecutor, Auchi Takefumi, who was always mercilessly beaten by the great Naruhodou Ryuuichi. Though he claims he doesn't have his family's bad luck, and has apparently not lost a single case in his eight years as a prosecutor.

 **巧 繁男** **(Takumi Shigeo) –** Age: Deceased. Gender: Male. The victim of this case. He was a professor in criminal law prosecution and Professor Tanaka's lifelong rival.

 **乱用 現金** **(Ranyou Genkin) –** Age: 21. Gender: Male. The youngest son of the Ranyou Group, who are rumored to have ties to Yakuza due to their almost criminal business practices. He was Professor Tanaka's teaching assistant and aims to be a defense attorney so he can help defend his family's empire.

 **教訓 勝浩** **(Kyoukun Katsuhiro) –** Age: 60. Gender: Male. The current Dean of Raira Law School and a former prosecutor who worked alongside Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi back in the day. He seems very short-tempered about most things but he cares deeply about his school and his students.

 **直樹 尚希** **(Mugai Naoki) –** Age: 22. Gender: Male. Professor Takumi's former teaching assistant. He aims to be a prosecutor, but despite being smart and talented he's very shy and aloof. It's very unlikely he'll make it as a prosecutor.

 **黒崎 知子** **(Kurosaki Tomoko) –** Age: 24. Gender: Female. A Private Investigator who also specializes in cybercrimes. She's kind of rude and just plain weird, but she seems like a good person. And she very clearly cares about her work as a P.I.

* * *

Present Professor Tanaka's Profile.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

The Judge's eyes went as wide as dinner plates. "Th-The defendant?!"

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "No, no, no! I will not have any more of you and your client's hare-brained tricks! I completely object against this, Your Honor! This is a clear stall for time by the Defense!"

"OBJECTION!" I shouted back at Auchi. "My client has the right to aid in his defense! And I know for a fact that he has very valuable testimony to give! Testimony that only he is capable of delivering!"

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted back at me. "And you just expect us to take your word for it! It's probably just more ridiculous lies and half-truths!"

"OBJECTION!" Professor Tanaka shouted. "The only ones who have lied under oath so far have been your witnesses! Lies that Hanamura-kun here exposed! I assert my right to give testimony!"

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Order! Order! Settle down, all of you!" the Judge exclaimed. "Now Professor Tanaka, you do realize that if you give testimony anything you say could be used against you, correct? Are you prepared for this?"

Professor Tanaka nodded. "I understand perfectly, Your Honor. I only intend to speak the truth. And this particular truth is one that only I can deliver."

"Very well, then the court will gladly hear your testimony," the Judge replied.

"You can't be serious, Your Honor?!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

"I'll have you know that I'm almost always serious, Mr. Auchi," the Judge replied. "Now one more outburst out of you, and I'll give you the harshest penalty imaginable."

"Ugh," Auchi muttered in defeat.

Professor Tanaka made his way over to the stand. "Now what exactly do you wish to testify about, Professor?" the Judge asked.

"I'm going to talk about the last trial I ever participated in. It was a murder case that took place almost twenty-five years ago. I acted as the Defense, and Takumi was the Prosecution," Professor Tanaka explained.

"This wouldn't happen to be this mysterious case that you and Professor Takumi got into a fight about hours before his death, would it?" the Judge asked.

"The very same, Your Honor," Professor Tanaka replied.

"But I thought you said that a permanent gag order was put on the case, forbidding you to ever talk about it in public," the Judge replied.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "That is correct, Your Honor. But it has come to my attention that I must defy that order, if just this once. For you see, even if only slightly, Takumi's murder is connected to that case," Professor Tanaka explained.

"Wh-What?!" the Judge exclaimed in disbelief.

"You can't be serious?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"Professor, why would you keep something like this from the court?" the Judge asked.

"I'm sorry, Your Honor. It wasn't intentional, I just realized the connection a few minutes ago, when the matchbook was brought up again. The matchbook is the key. I can at least give testimony about the rough details of the case without going into too many specifics, that should be more than enough to prove Hanamura-kun's claims," Professor Tanaka explained.

"Very well. I'm still a tad confused about this connection you speak of, but the court will accept your testimony," the Judge replied. Then he turned to me. "Mr. Hanamura, I must advise you. Even if the defendant is the one giving testimony, I expect you to fully cross-examine him, leave no stone unturned, just as you usually do."

I nodded. "That won't be a problem, Your Honor. I believe in my client. His testimony will not discredit him, only shed light on the truth," I replied.

The Judge nodded. "Okay then." Then he banged his gavel down upon his desk. "The court will now hear the testimony of the defendant, Professor Tanaka Shuichi."

* * *

WITNESS TESTIMONY

* * *

 _My Last Trial as a Defense Attorney_

* * *

Statement 1: "Before I begin, I'd like to say that I won't reveal the identities of the people involved in the case, besides Takumi and I. I feel like they've been through more than enough," Professor Tanaka explained. "Now where to begin?" he asked rhetorically.

Statement 2: "I guess I'll start with the very basis of the crime. Much like this case, it involved arson. The arson of a law office no less."

Statement 3: "The theory that Takumi and the police worked up was that this arson was connected to another ongoing trial. The law office of the acting defense attorney in that trial was targeted to threaten the attorney into dropping the case."

Statement 4: "However, unbeknownst to the arsonist, the attorney had come back to the office late that night to continue their research on the trial they were participating in. They were caught in the blaze and were unable to evacuate the building in time."

Statement 5: "The suspect was caught the very next day, and after hearing word I soon rushed over to take their case."

Statement 6: "During the trial, one of the key pieces of evidence that was presented was a burnt match found at the scene of the crime. A forensics investigation revealed that this match came from a very specific matchbook brand. And after an investigation of their home was conducted, the defendant was revealed to own that same brand of matchbook. And it appeared to have one match missing."

Statement 7: "This trial stretched on into its third day, the last day permitted by the Initial Trial System that we have all come to know for the past few decades. Normally, the defendant would automatically be declared guilty if their innocence has not been proven at that point."

Statement 8: "But due to unforeseen circumstances, a verdict was never passed down. Shortly thereafter, Takumi and I both retired from the law. This case haunted us to no end. We knew that we weren't cut out for the courtroom anymore in our current condition."

* * *

END OF TESTIMONY

* * *

The Judge's eyes widened. "Oh my, this case sounds very much similar to our own."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "While I admit that there are certain similarities between this case and our own, I fail to see the importance. How does it have any connection to the victim's murder?"

"OBJECTION!" I shouted back at Auchi. "That will all be made clear during cross-examination. Please, just be patient, Auchi-san."

Auchi growled. "I hate that defiant tone of yours."

"Very well, you may now proceed with your cross-examination, Mr. Hanamura," said the Judge.

* * *

CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

 _My Last Trial as a Defense Attorney_

* * *

Statement 1: "Before I begin, I'd like to say that I won't reveal the identities of the people involved in the case, besides Takumi and I. I feel like they've been through more than enough," Professor Tanaka explained. "Now where to begin?" he asked rhetorically.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "I understand why you're keeping the identities of the people involved in this case a secret, Professor. But I'd like to ask just for a generalization of how the trial played out. Besides you, Professor Takumi, the victim, and the defendant, who else was involved in this case?"

"Well besides the four key players in the trial, there were two witnesses, and of course the Judge. But obviously it wasn't the Judge presiding over this current trial," Professor Tanaka clarified.

"I should say so, my memory may not be what it used to be, but I try to remember each and every trial I preside over," the Judge added. Then he shook his head. "And I don't remember this trial at all."

'Hmm, that's kind of odd. The Judge has been here longer than anyone. Even if he wasn't the presiding Judge in that trial, surely he would've at least heard about it. Looks like this gag order made sure that no one outside of the inner circle of that trial would know about the contents of the murder case. I wonder…' I thought to myself. "Professor, one more question if you'd be so kind?" I asked.

"Go on, Hanamura-kun," Professor Tanaka replied.

"A gag order in a court of law means that not just people involved with a certain trial but the media as well, is forbidden from discussing the matters of the trial, correct?" I asked.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "Yes, and anybody who defies this order may receive criminal charges. Which is why I have to be very careful about which parts of the case I choose to tell you about. The gag order is still in effect today."

"So I assume that all periodicals and references to this case…?" I was about to reply but Professor Tanaka cut me off.

"Yes, they've all since been erased. As of today the only records of what went on in that trial, are in the heads of those who were involved in the original case, myself included." Then he stroked his chin. "However, I assume that there is at least some note of it in the records at the Prosecutors' Office and the Police Headquarters. Other than that though, I'm afraid everyone who didn't experience that case first hand is completely in the dark."

'So the Professor is really the only one who can fill us in. I better listen carefully to what he has to say,' It thought to myself.

Statement 2: "I guess I'll start with the very basis of the crime. Much like this case, it involved arson. The arson of a law office no less."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So this case involved another defense attorney? Were they the victim?"

"Yes," Professor Tanaka replied. "Of course, I can't tell you their identity. But I will say that this case was very personal to me because of that victim. They were a very dear friend of mine; a friend, whose death I have mourned every day since the day they passed away."

"Oh dear, how tragic," the Judge replied.

"…" Professor Tanaka was silent. His mind appeared to be somewhere else.

'Professor, I had no idea,' I thought to myself.

Statement 3: "The theory that Takumi and the police worked up was that this arson was connected another ongoing trial. The law office of the acting defense attorney in that trial was targeted to threaten the attorney into dropping the case."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So this case was actually connected to another murder case? Is there any way you can tell us more about that incident?"

"Due to the subject of time I can't really go into the particulars of that case either, it would take too much time to explain. Suffice it to say the defense attorney in charge of the case, my dear friend, appeared to be winning and was close to proving the defendant innocent. If you'd like more information you can look into it later. I believe the case number was ZR-8."

'ZR-8, the last trial that Professor Tanaka's friend participated in. It might be a good idea to look more into it. After I prove the Professor's innocence, of course,' I thought to myself.

Statement 4: "However, unbeknownst to the arsonist, the attorney had come back to the office late that night to continue their research on the trial they were participating in. They were caught in the blaze and were unable to evacuate the building in time."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Was it determined during the trial that it was an accidental killing? Or did the police and Prosecution just assume that happened to be the case?"

Professor Tanaka stroked his chin as he contemplated his answer. "Well that's kind of tricky to explain. Yes, it was assumed from the very beginning that it was an accidental killing but that's only because…well…" Professor Tanaka then sighed and shook his head. "No, I'm sorry I can't go into more details than that."

'The only reason Professor Tanaka would withhold something now would be to protect the identities of the people involved with the case. Which means the reason behind the Prosecution's suspicions must have something to do with the victim's identity, or maybe even the defendant's?' I asked myself.

Statement 5: "The suspect was caught the very next day, and after hearing word I soon rushed over to take their case."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "You rushed right over to take their case? Then does that mean you had a connection to the defendant of that case as well, Professor?"

"…" Professor Tanaka was silent at first, but then he sighed and nodded. "Yes, the defendant was someone I knew quite well. I wasn't as close with them as I was with the victim, but I knew for sure that they would never kill anyone. There had to have been some mistake."

'So Professor Tanaka was connected to both the victim and the defendant?' I asked myself. 'It's no wonder why he became obsessed with solving this case.'

Statement 6: "During the trial, one of the key pieces of evidence that was presented was a burnt match found at the scene of the crime. A forensics investigation revealed that this match came from a very specific matchbook brand. And after an investigation of their home was conducted, the defendant was revealed to own that same brand of matchbook. And it appeared to have one match missing."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Professor, I have to ask. This matchbook from your old case, does it have the same brand as the matchbook that's currently in the court record?"

Professor Tanaka nodded. "Yes, that's the same brand. I'm sure of it. Mikabi-brand matches. Their signature logo is a red demon face on the cover."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. He held up the matchbook. "In what way does this crumpled up red dot on the cover on the matchbook look like a demon's face?"

"OBJECTION!" I shouted back. "You're forgetting, Auchi-san. The culprit crammed the matchbook inside of the alcohol bottle in Professor Takumi's office. Of course the matchbook would've been crumpled up. But if you look closely you can make out some of the finer details of this so-called red dot. Including yellow fangs, and a pair of red horns. And if you look right under the "dot", you can make out the words Mikabi Matches. This is without a doubt the same brand of matches."

"Wh-What?!" Auchi exclaimed. Then he examined the matchbook closer. "…!" Then he began to sweat bullets. "Y-You're right. It's all there."

"I told you I don't intend to lie under oath," Professor Tanaka replied.

'I should probably make some more notes about the matchbook for the court record,' I thought to myself.

 **Matchbook Updated.**

The Judge nodded. "I think you've proven your point, Professor." Then he looked down at me. "Mr. Hanamura, you may continue your cross-examination."

Statement 7: "This trial stretched on into its third day, the last day permitted by the Initial Trial System that we have all come to know. Normally, the defendant would automatically be declared guilty if their innocence has not been proven at that point."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "But something happened that prevented that guilty verdict from being handed down?" I asked.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "Something horrible."

Statement 8: "But due to unforeseen circumstances, a verdict was never passed down. Shortly thereafter, Takumi and I both retired from the law. This case haunted us to no end. We knew that we weren't cut out for the courtroom anymore in our current condition."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Professor, what exactly happened to make this case the pariah that it is? Something happened to keep the verdict from being passed. What was it?"

"…" Professor Tanaka was silent at first but then he sighed. "The defendant was murdered."

"…!" My eyes widened in shock.

"…!" As did the Judge's.

"…!" As did Auchi's…I think, it was hard to tell with the sunglasses.

"What?! The defendant was killed?!" I exclaimed.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "During a recess on the third trial day, someone snuck into the Defendant's Waiting Lobby and killed the defendant while they were all alone."

"A murder was committed in the courthouse?!" I exclaimed.

"J-Just where was I when this was all going on?!" the Judge exclaimed. "I work here! Surely I would've heard about this?!"

"And what's more, no suspect was ever found. To this day the defendant's murder is unsolved. I couldn't take the shock of losing two people that I knew so well, and Takumi…well even though he was a stubborn old fool, he was a very sympathetic man. When I abandoned the law, he followed my suit. I planned to resort all my time to finding the true culprit behind the murders of my companions, and Takumi agreed to help me. We spent about a year chasing down leads until finally we both agreed to give up before the case ended up consuming us. Soon thereafter we both got our teaching degrees and applied for positions at Raira Law School, and well as they say, the rest is history," Professor Tanaka explained.

"So you believe that the same person was behind both the murder of your attorney friend, and the murder of the defendant in their murder trial?" I asked.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "My stance hasn't changed in all these years. They're definitely still out there. And Takumi was still looking for them." Then he sighed. "It appears as if searching for that damned truth has cost me another friend."

'I better make sure to take thorough notes on everything I've found out about this mysterious case,' I thought to myself.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past Updated.**

* * *

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

* * *

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Your words truly speak volumes, Professor. I'd like to thank you for revealing all of this to the court."

"Yes, it was very enlightening. I just have one question," said Auchi. "How does this have anything to do with our murder case?!" He held up the matchbook. "All you've told us is that both your unknown attorney friend and the victim were killed in fires using a match from two matchbooks that share the same brand!" Auchi scoffed. "Don't tell me you're planning on saying that you think this mysterious killer from your past is responsible for Professor Takumi's death? That's about as far-fetched a theory as one of your attorney's hare-brained theories."

"I don't know about that. But I definitely know that the cases are connected in a big way," Professor Tanaka replied. "Hanamura-kun, would you care to enlighten the court?"

"Yes, what's all this about, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked.

"Well, Your Honor. The Defense has reason to believe that the two matchbooks that the Prosecution speaks of do not exist," I replied.

"I'm afraid I don't follow," the Judge replied.

"What are you getting at now?" Auchi replied.

"What I'm getting at is a revelation that will turn this case upside down. Thanks to the defendant's testimony, we now know an important fact. A matchbook with the same brand as the one in our case was evidence in the defendant's old case almost twenty-five years ago. However, there is a strong possibility that these two matchbooks are one in the same. The Defense claims that the matchbook in the court record is the same matchbook that was used as evidence in the trial almost twenty-five years ago."

"Wh-What?!" the Judge exclaimed in surprise.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" Auchi exclaimed.

The gallery erupted into whispers and murmurs once again. And once again, the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk until there was silence. "Order! Order!" Then he looked down at me. "Mr. Hanamura, what is the meaning of this?"

"It's simple, Your Honor. The reason why the defendant's fingerprints are on the matchbook is because he used it as evidence in another trial."

"But that was almost twenty-five years ago. Are you seriously saying that the defendant's fingerprints have not degraded in all these years? That can't be possible," The Judge replied. "…" Then he thought about it for a second. "Can it?"

"Of course it's not possible! The Defense and the defendant are both full it, Your Honor!" Auchi exclaimed.

'Hmm, looks like they're not convinced. This could tip the scales in either direction. Before I press forward I better make sure that I'm really not full of it like Auchi claims,' I thought to myself.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: Is it possible that the fingerprints are almost twenty-five years old?

* * *

Yes, it's possible

On second thought…

* * *

Pick Option One.

I nodded. "Yes, it's completely possible. If the matchbook was kept in a stable condition…like most evidence used in murder cases is…then it's no stretch to say that the fingerprints haven't degraded in all of this time."

"Th-That can't be true! Quick, is there a forensics technician here?!" Auchi called out to the gallery.

A man wearing a blue uniform, blue cap, and white gloves who was sitting in the gallery, stood up and raised his hand. "Umm…I'm in forensics, I actually worked on this case." he said.

"Great! Now explain to this numbskull of an attorney that what he's saying isn't physically possible!" Auchi exclaimed in a proud tone while he crossed his arms.

"…" the forensics technician went quiet. "Umm, but Prosecutor-san. It is possible."

"Wh-What?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"If the matchbook was kept in a stable environment for all these years then those fingerprints would definitely manage to avoid becoming degraded. It's actually police policy to ensure all evidence is stored like this as to not damage fingerprints and DNA samples, just in case we need to reopen an investigation for whatever reason," the forensics technician explained.

"Excuse me, I have a question as well," said Professor Tanaka. "Do you happen to know anyone who works at the storage warehouse for evidence used in old cases?"

"Yeah, actually I do. A buddy of mine is one of the clerks there," the forensics technician replied.

"Does your friend know by any chance if Takumi checked any evidence out of storage a while ago?" Professor Tanaka asked.

"You mean the victim? I don't really recall him mentioning…" Then the forensics technician's eyes widened. "…! Oh yeah, he did say something about that. A few days ago we went out for drinks and I told him that the case I was working on involved the murder of an old prosecutor, and he told me that he remembers a guy matching his description came in about a week ago and asked for evidence from a case with no case number. I remember thinking that it was really weird, because I've never heard of a case not having a case number before."

"Your Honor, there's a good chance that Professor Takumi collected the evidence from his and the defendant's last case together because he was reopening the investigation in private. The evidence as you'll recall includes this troublesome matchbook, which would explain how it ended up in Professor Takumi's office. The killer didn't leave it behind, it was really there the whole time," I added.

"That would explain the phone call that Mugai-kun mentioned Takumi received during his testimony. Someone must have figured out that he reopened the case off the books," Professor Tanaka added.

"Hmm, if this is the case, we need to double check and make sure the forensics technician's claims are true. Bailiff, send word to the Police Headquarters immediately. Tell them we need to get in touch with the clerks at the storage warehouse as soon as possible," the Judge replied.

"Yes, at once, Your Honor," the bailiff replied before running out of the courtroom.

"You can't be serious, Your Honor?!" Auchi exclaimed.

"I believe I already told you that I am almost always serious, Mr. Auchi. And I think I also said if I heard an outburst like that from you again, I would give you a hefty penalty. Don't make me make good on my promise," the Judge replied.

"Ugh," Auchi muttered in defeat once again.

"Now then, while we wait to hear back from Police Headquarters, I think we could all use a brief break from this excitement." The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Court is hereby adjourned for a thirty-minute recess."

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 11:00. Courthouse, Defendant Waiting Lobby No. 4.

* * *

While we were adjourned for recess, I made sure to talk with Professor Tanaka about what all was discussed in the courtroom since our last recess. "You're doing very well, Hanamura-kun. I'm impressed that you've made it this far when it's only your first trial."

"I wouldn't have gotten to this point without your help, Professor. You saved me more times than I could count in there," I replied in a humble tone.

Professor Tanaka shook his head. "No, no, you're being too humble. I was only acting as a guide the entire time; you were the one who was fighting for my sake. You were the one who cross-examined the Prosecution's witnesses and exposed their lies, you were the one who figured out that Katsu was being blackmailed by the hacker, and you were the one who convinced me to testify about mine and Takumi's last case. That was all you. I knew I made the right decision in placing my faith in you."

"Wow, thanks, Professor," I replied. "But it's not over yet. We still have no idea who the real culprit is."

"Well if your theory that the hacker committed the crime is true, then that would mean we just have to figure out who the hacker is," Professor Tanaka replied.

"But that's easier said than done. I have no idea on where to start looking for them," I replied.

"Perhaps, I could be of assistance," someone suddenly said. Then Kyoukun walked up to the both of us, with Tomoko following shortly behind him. I recognized that Kyoukun had been the one to speak.

"Dean Kyoukun? Kurosaki-san? What are you both doing here?" I replied in confusion.

"I wanted to come and apologize to my dear friend for trying so hard to help find him guilty," Kyoukun replied.

"He was against it at first," Tomoko added. "He thought that Old Man Tanaka would never forgive him for his actions, but I managed to convince him in the end."

"Tanaka, I truly am sorry for my actions. I was afraid of what might happen to Raira if I didn't go along with that madman's demands. I weighed the options of sacrificing a friend, or sacrificing God knows how many innocent people. And in my darkest moment, I had the gall to make a decision. I should've just gone to the police and told them what I knew from the beginning. Maybe if I hadn't been such a coward I could've kept you from ending up in this position. You don't have to forgive me; I just want you to know how ashamed of myself I am." Kyoukun bowed his head to Professor Tanaka. "If I'm lucky enough to earn back your trust and friendship, I'd be eternally grateful."

"…" I was silent.

"…" as was Tomoko.

"…" Professor Tanaka was silent for a moment as well. But then he sighed and shook his head. "Honestly Katsu, you're as proud as ever." Kyoukun raised his head in reply and let Professor Tanaka finish speaking. "Stop worrying so much. Of course I forgive you, you were put into a horrible position. I would've made the same choice if I was in your shoes. What's important is that you did the right thing, in the end."

Kyoukun smiled. "You always were quick to forgive others. I'm so glad that I can call you my friend." Then Kyoukun turned to me. "As for you, boy…umm, I mean, Hanamura-san. I owe you a great deal of thanks. If it wasn't for you knocking some sense into me when I needed it the most, my dear friend here would be heading to prison, and it would be all my fault." Then he bowed his head to me as well. "You have my upmost gratitude."

"Oh…no…it's fine…there's no need to prostrate yourself, Dean Kyoukun," I replied in a slightly embarrassed tone. "I just did my job as an attorney and exposed the truth. It was nothing special really."

Kyoukun raised his head. "But it meant a great deal to me. Which is why I want to help you two in any way I can."

"Yes, you mentioned that before. What exactly do you have in mind, Katsu?" Professor Tanaka replied.

"Well seeing as how the information I gave you before seemed to really help out, the Dean here, decided to do the same," Tomoko replied.

Kyoukun nodded. "That is correct," he replied. Then he produced a manila folder from his left jacket pocket and handed it to me. "Before Takumi had me hire Kurosaki-san, he was doing some digging into the hacker himself. These are his notes about his findings, I had my secretary send them over to me. These were actually faxed to me on the day before the fire, but I never got the chance to read them for myself. They contain Takumi's last thoughts, and I thought they might be useful to you in finding the true culprit of this crime."

"Wow, th-thanks Dean Kyoukun. I'm sure this will be a big help," I replied.

 **Professor Takumi's Notes added to Court Record.**

Kyoukun nodded again. "I hope they will be. Please find this low-life, get justice for Takumi, and save Tanaka. You're the only one can do this."

"…" I was silent at first before nodding and replying, "I'll do my best."

Kyoukun smiled. "I hope you'll exceed my expectations. Now if you'll both excuse us, we should get back to the Prosecutor's Waiting Lobby before Auchi-san notices we've gone missing. I'll be the first one to congratulate you on your acquittal when this is over, Tanaka."

Professor Tanaka chuckled. "I look forward to it, Katsu."

Kyoukun smiled one last time before walking off in the direction of the Prosecutor's Waiting Lobby. But Tomoko stayed behind. "Kurosaki-san, is there something you want to say as well?" I asked out of curiosity.

"…" Tomoko was silent at first before she sighed and started rubbing her right arm, as if she was unsure what to say. "I guess…I just wanted to say, thanks for having my back in there."

"Huh?" I replied in confusion.

"I know I was in the wrong for lying under oath, I just didn't want to get in trouble for being found out about leaking the investigation to the media. But I just wanted everyone to know about the danger of letting the hacker run free. And even when it was you who discovered my lie, you defended me against Shady Guy and said that I was trying to do the right thing. So I just wanted to thank you for doing that. No one's every really had my back like that before. It really meant a lot."

"Umm, y-you're welcome, Kurosaki-san. But it really is bad to lie under oath, even if you have a good reason for doing so," I replied, trying my best to sound professional.

"Yeah, I know. I promise, I won't lie anymore," Tomoko replied.

"But I guess I should also be thanking you. If you hadn't leaked the story in the first place, then no one would have even known about the hacker. That information was what brought me to my first turnabout, so thank you for giving me the lead I needed," I replied. "If it weren't for that, we would have been finished a long time ago."

"N-No problem, I just didn't want to leave a job unfinished is all," Tomoko replied.

"Hmm, you two work well together," said Professor Tanaka. "It's almost feels like you've been helping each other out for years."

"Y-You think?" I replied.

"R-Really?" Tomoko replied.

Professor Tanaka nodded. "Though attorneys and detectives are usually on opposite sides of the law, its beneficial for both parties to work together so the truth of a case can be reached. And you two have already demonstrated that principle very clearly." Then Professor Tanaka's expression turned serious. "Hmm, I wonder."

"Professor?" I replied in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing," Professor Tanaka replied. "Pay me no mind."

"Well there's one thing wrong with your theory, Gramps," Tomoko replied. "I'm not a detective, remember? I'm a P.I., there's a difference. I was hired onto this job so I just want to see it through to the very end. It's business, nothing more, nothing less. So find the hacker and nail him, got it?"

I nodded. "That's the plan. I don't intend to lose."

Tomoko nodded. "Good, I'll be watching. Don't let me down." Then Tomoko walked off towards to the Prosecutor's Waiting Lobby as well.

"Nii-chan!" a familiar voice called out to me. Then suddenly Hinata appeared in front of Professor Tanaka and I. "You're doing so great. You two were keeping the entire courtroom on its toes in there. I was practically on the edge of my seat. And I wasn't the only one either, everyone in the gallery seemed deeply invested. The guy who was sitting next to me looked especially interested in it actually."

"The guy who sat next to you?" I repeated in curiosity.

Hinata nodded. "Yeah, there was an older, well-dressed guy sitting next to me. He barely talked at all, his eyes were glued on the trial the whole time. He also seemed interested in you for some reason, Nii-chan."

"In me?" I replied.

"Yeah, earlier on when I cheered for you in the courtroom, he heard me call you, Nii-chan. The only time he talked to me was to ask about you," Hinata replied. "It was mostly lawyer-like things though; I guess he's thinking about coming to you for a case later on." Hinata smiled. "Don't worry I gave you a good recommendation."

"Huh. Well thanks I guess," I replied.

Professor Tanaka chuckled. "It's good to see that other people are starting to see your potential. It helps to make a name for yourself in this line of work. And I'm so glad we could entertain. I have to admit even if it is my life on the line today, being back in the courtroom after so long does feel exciting."

"And Nii-chan, you look a little less pale than you did before. Looks like your nervousness is finally starting to ware off," Hinata replied.

"It's true, Hanamura-kun. You do seem a bit more confident," Professor Tanaka agreed.

"Well now that you mention it, I do feel a little lighter. Looks like I've finally got my second wind," I replied.

"So do you think you'll be able to stick it out till the end?" Professor Tanaka replied.

"Of course, there's no question. I'm not going to sit back and let you get convicted for a crime you did not commit," I replied.

"But Nii-chan, if what you said before is true, then you have to find out who the true culprit is and prove that they were the only person who could've done it, right? And if that person is really this hacker then…" Hinata paused and frowned. She knew exactly what was in store if I couldn't solve this case.

"Hey don't worry, I never said this was going to be easy, but I'm not going to stop until we win this thing. We're so close to finding the truth, I can feel it. Just a little longer and we'll have our suspect brought into the courtroom. So you just keep cheering me on like you've been doing so far, and I'll be just fine," I replied.

"Nii-chan," Hinata smiled and then suddenly reached out and pulled me into a hug. Then a few moments later, she let me go and returned to her cheery self. "I'm glad that you finally became a lawyer. These past few years, I've been so worried about you, even if it was your job to worry about me." She smiled again. "But you seem really different now, brighter and more courageous. And your actions today speak louder than words ever could. You've really changed. I'm so proud of the man you've become." Then she frowned slightly. "And I'm sure that _they_ would be proud of you too."

I frowned slightly too. "Yeah, I hope so." Then I smiled at her. "Thanks, Hinata. You're the best."

"Attorney-san? The recess is almost over. The Judge has asked everyone to reconvene at this time," one of the court bailiffs said to me.

"Got it, thanks," I replied. Then I turned back to face Hinata. "We have to get back, and you should head back to your seat. See you when this is all over, okay?"

Hinata nodded. "I'll be waiting to congratulate you two on your win. Good luck."

I nodded. "Let's finish this, Professor."

"I'm right behind you, Hanamura-kun," Professor Tanaka replied in a confident tone. Then the two of us re-entered the courtroom, prepared to face whatever obstacles that lay before us.

* * *

March 28, 20XX. 11:30. Courthouse, Courtroom No. 4.

* * *

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Court shall now reconvene for the trial of Professor Tanaka Shuichi." When the Judge was sure he had everyone's attention he continued. "Now before the recess, we learned that the victim of this case, Professor Takumi Shigeo, was perhaps in possession of evidence pertaining to an old murder case that the victim himself and the defendant were both involved in."

"That's correct, Your Honor," I replied. "And according to my client, the matchbook that was used as evidence in that trial is in fact the very same matchbook that is being used as evidence in our trial. The Defense's theory is that by using the matchbook as evidence in that trial almost twenty-five years ago, my client's fingerprints ended up on the matchbook at that time. And if we are correct, then the basis for the Prosecution's argument much like Naruhodou Hall will go up in smoke," I said in a confident tone, while placing my fists on my hips.

Auchi grumbled. "Insolent rookie."

"Settle down you two," the Judge replied. "Now then, bailiff have we heard back from Police Headquarters yet?"

"Yes, Your Honor. We just received from them a few minutes ago. They were able to confirm from the records at the evidence warehouse that the victim did in fact check out evidence from a cold case with no case number. They also confirmed that this evidence pertains to that specific case that both the victim and the defendant were involved in," the bailiff reported.

"I see, well it seems that the victim was indeed in possession of the evidence pertaining to that trial," the Judge replied.

"Then it's official, the matchbook is a piece of evidence from that trial," I replied. "Professor Takumi kept it in his office, and that's how the killer got ahold of it. They didn't bring the matchbook to the crime scene, it was already there." I held up the photo of the film still from the surveillance of Naruhodou Hall on the night of the fire. "In fact. I'm willing to bet it was right there on this shelf the whole time. The killer simply used a weapon of opportunity."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "I won't let you claim such outrageous ideas. The matchbook was already there at the scene of the crime before the murder took place? The reason the defendant's fingerprints are on it is because it was used by him in a trial over two decades ago? Nonsense! Absolute nonsense!"

"You have a rebuttal to the Defense's theory, Mr. Auchi?" the Judge asked.

"I'm glad you asked, Your Honor. And yes I do. As a matter of fact, I came up with the perfect argument during the recess. The Prosecution admits that the victim was in possession of evidence from this blacklisted murder case, and I also admit that a matchbook that's similar to ours was used as evidence in that trial. However, I believe whole-heartedly that there are in fact two matchbooks. One was used in the old murder case, and one was used in ours," Auchi explained in a smug tone.

"You're back to the two matchbook theory again!" I exclaimed. "We already ruled that out! The matchbook brand is Mikabi Matches, a brand that hasn't been used since the time of the old murder case. Ergo, it stands to reason that this matchbook is from that time. And everything else points to this being the same matchbook as the one in that case," I explained.

Auchi smirked. "Yes, but I still can't believe that the defendant's fingerprints were on that matchbook simply because he used them as evidence in that old murder trial. Surely they would have been far too degraded to dust for prints in a forensic analysis, and yet they showed up without any problem whatsoever. I think it makes much more sense if there were in fact two different matchbooks. One with old prints, and one with new prints."

"But as my client testified, Mikabi Matches went out of business around the same time that the murder took place. How could my client have gotten a new Mikabi brand matchbook if they were already out of business?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe he bought a matchbook before the company went out of business for sentimental reasons. His friend was killed using a similar matchbook after all," Auchi replied. "The point is as long as the possibility exists, you can't dismiss the fingerprints so easily."

"So your theory is that my client held onto another matchbook all this time and then chose now to use it to burn Professor Takumi alive along with Naruhodou Hall?" I asked with a sweatdrop. "If he went through all that trouble, then why not just wear gloves while starting the fire? He would've avoided all this unnecessary grief."

Auchi look unnerved. "W-Well, it's still a possibility."

"Hmm, I don't think I've ever heard such a slap-dash argument before. But I have to admit, it does have a certain plausible ring to it," the Judge remarked.

"Really, Your Honor?" I replied.

The Judge nodded. "It does get around the fingerprint conundrum. I'm sorry, Mr. Hanamura. But if you can't somehow prove that the defendant's fingerprints were on the matchbook before the fire was started, then we've reached an impasse."

"No!" I exclaimed.

"Heh, heh, well not the most graceful victory, but a win is a win, I'll take it," Auchi cackled while combing back his hair.

'What am I going to do? His argument makes about as much sense as saying the sky is green or that the grass is blue, but if I can't prove him wrong then we're still finished? How is this at all fair?' I asked myself.

"Psst, Hanamura-kun," Professor Tanaka whispered to me. "There's a way you can shut up that loudmouth, Auchi. I've been looking through the court record since we've come back to the courtroom. I think you have just the right piece of evidence to put the argument about the fingerprints to bed once and for all."

"Seriously?" I replied.

"Mr. Hanamura, I'm going to give you a chance. Do you have anything that can prove the validity of your claims?"

"Not likely," Auchi replied in a snarky tone.

"Oh but I do," I replied in a cocky manner.

"Wh-What?" Auchi replied.

"Yep, I have just the piece of evidence that will shut you up about the fingerprints for good," I replied. 'Or at least I hope I do,' I secretly thought to myself.

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Well then let's have it, Mr. Hanamura."

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What proves that the presence of Professor Tanaka's fingerprints has nothing to do with the murder?

* * *

 **Kibou's Attorney Badge** – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

 **Today's Paper** – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Raira Law School's recent hacking scandal. The article also mentions that this scandal was brought to light by an anonymous tip delivered on stationary depicting an odd infinity symbol.

 **Autopsy Report** – _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

 **Photo from Before the Murder –** An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: _22:33:_ 46\. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway.

 **Matchbook –** Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty alcohol bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Tanaka's prints, though he claims it's because he used it as evidence in an old murder case. The matchbook was made by the Mikabi Matches company, a company that has since gone bankrupt. It's packaging, though crumpled up now, is very unique. So it stands to reason that this matchbook was indeed evidence in that old murder case.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past –** Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. The victim of which was another attorney, and what's more, a friend of Professor Tanaka's. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Takumi got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Tanaka about reopening it. Though apparently, Professor Takumi has already reopened it by himself and has even gotten ahold of the old evidence used in it.

 **Bottle of Alcohol –** Professor Takumi was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as accelerant for the fire.

 **Portable Stove –** Professor Takumi kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report –** According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card –** One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

 **Kyoukun's Blackmail Note –** A typed and printed note was found by Dean Kyoukun the morning after the fire. Judging by the message, its highly likely that this note was left by the true culprit, and it also gives a very strong hint that the culprit is the hacker, as they ordered Dean Kyoukun to suspend Tomoko's investigation under threat of more violence.

 **Professor Takumi's Notes –** Professor Takumi's investigation notes on the hacker plaguing Raira Law School.

Page (1/5)

Hacker Case Summary

(2/1) According to my independent investigation, the hacker has been at work for quite some time. At least since the beginning of the last semester, maybe even before that. The data logs for the entire campus show that unauthorized access has been granted to specific files and data caches. Not just containing private information about the school itself, but personal information about the students, teachers, and faculty as well. I have even discovered that my own personal files have been looked into without my knowledge. I consider this a grave oversight on my part, but it does prove one thing. This hacker is someone truly gifted as has been perfecting their craft for years. They've been very cautious and meticulous in their search, which is why it took me so long to actually catch on to their existence. But as to what it is they're searching for exactly, I still have no idea.

Page (2/5)

Investigation Notes

(2/6) I have discovered a way to narrow down the suspects. I am currently in the process of comparing the computer usage history for the whole campus to the times where unauthorized access was reported by the data logs. I can't involve any of the other students or faculty who help maintain the campus's network, as I do not know at this point who I can trust. As such, this arduous task falls solely to me.

(2/10) The comparison is taking longer than expected. I'm now even starting to compare the computer usage of students and faculty who rarely even use the campus computers, if at all. So far I haven't had any luck.

(2/22) I haven't had any luck at finding out the hacker's true identity yet. I have abandoned my comparison test, as I have gone through almost every single name in the student and faculty registry. No one had logged onto any campus computers at the same times of each incident. I can only guess at this point that the hacker is using their own personal device to hook up to the campus network. And if this is the case they are probably smart enough to be using proxy servers to hide their unscrupulous activities. At this point in time there's no real way of identifying them.

(3/10) I have informed Dean Kyoukun of the fruitlessness of my efforts and have recommended that we look into hiring a private investigator. I've heard word of an up and coming young lady who has a very noteworthy background in solving cybercrimes. Perhaps she would be a great asset.

Page (3/5)

Investigation Notes Continued…

(3/14) I think I'm onto something! The hacker seems to be here for two purposes, one they were hired to search for something in particular. This has been made very clear by their previous actions. And two, the hacker also seems to have their own personal motivation for their crimes. There's been a recent rash of accusations made by other professors about students cheating in their classes. This goes for my class as well. I think the hacker might also be helping certain students cheat on assignments and exams. If this is the case than their motivation may be just as simple as monetary gain. They were likely hired to search for something in particular by a third party, and in the meantime they are using their position to make a quick buck for themselves by loaning out their services to all interested parties. And if they're greedy, they might slip up and make a carless mistake.

(3/15) I've made another important discovery, but this one feels me with unfathomable dread. I think I know what exactly the hacker was hired to search for. I've noticed an increased amount of activity through Naruhodou Hall in particular. To be more specific, my private records as well as the private records of my colleagues, Tanaka included. Though I've managed to keep our private data locked up tight, there has been several attempts made to bypass my security. Whatever they are after, is in there. I at first thought it to be slightly odd. After all the only things of value that both Tanaka and I have in our own private data is notes for our classes and dossiers of all our old cases that I managed to digitize. And that was when it hit me. Our old cases.

I tried to persuade myself that I was mistaken, that the hacker's true goal was something else. But my mind kept wandering back to one thing. _That_ case. Mine and Tanaka's last case. The case that nearly consumed us both. Could it be? Is someone else looking into that case after all these years. I have to know for sure.

(3/16) I could not dissuade my curiosity any longer. I know I made a promise with Tanaka, but I can't ignore it any longer. I have to know the truth. And if that means that I delve back into the past then so be it. I visited the police's evidence lockup and asked to borrow the evidence for our last case. Thankfully they didn't kick that much fuss over an ex-prosecutor borrowing evidence from a murder case that had gone that cold. If I'm right, then the hacker, or more appropriately their client, is linked to this case somehow. If so, it might mean what Tanaka and I have thought all along, the true killer is still out there. I must reopen the case by myself. I can't Tanaka's hopes up without any definitive evidence.

Page (4/5)

Investigation Notes Continued ( _That_ Case)

(3/24) I've done inventory of all the evidence left over from the trial. I'll make note of the important pieces here:

Matchbook – A Mikabi Matches brand matchbook. All that remains of a forgotten business. Twenty matches were originally included in this book, but during the trial it was made clear that two matches had been used and were missing from the book. Fingerprints are on the matchbook, I at first thought they were the fingerprints of the suspect in the case but when I did a spot check analysis and compared ridge patterns, they were revealed to be Tanaka's. He must have mishandled them at some point during the trial.

I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something.

Used Match – A single burnt match was found at the scene of the crime.

Burn Pattern Analysis – A report made by the arson inspector at the fire department. According to the report, gasoline was poured around the building and then ignited causing the flash fire to spread quickly. The fire started from the outside of the building.

I will make notes of the other pieces of evidence when I have finished examining each of them fully.

Page (5/5)

Something Must Be Done!

(3/25) My worst fears have come to pass; the killer is still out there. And now they've finally decided to come after Tanaka and I. The phone call I received earlier this afternoon was proof enough, someone wants me to drop this case immediately. I'm not usually one to respond to threats, but I believe whole-heartedly that this individual is capable of the most monstrous things. Dean Kyoukun, I've sent this to you in the hopes that you and Tanaka will continue what I started if anything should happen to me. I pray that my paranoia is just the ravings of an old man. But just in case, help Tanaka use my notes and the evidence from _that_ trial. There is a much bigger game at foot than we anticipated. The hacking, _that_ case. It's all connected somehow, I know it. You and Tanaka are two of my oldest friends. I trust you will solve this case.

Best regards, Takumi Shigeo.

* * *

Present Professor Takumi's Notes.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

The Judge stared at the manila folder in curiosity. "Hmm? What's this now?"

"This is new evidence that the Defense managed to obtain during the recess, Your Honor. It was given to me by Dean Kyoukun. According to him, the victim, Professor Takumi was also investigating the hacker before the school hired Kurosaki-san. And these are copies of the notes he made," I explained.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted and slammed his fists down upon his desk. "Now you received evidence from another of my witnesses! Do your lawyerly tricks have no end?!"

"OBJECTION!" I shouted back at Auchi. "I didn't trick anyone, Dean Kyoukun gave this to us of his own accord. He didn't even know exactly what they contained as the victim faxed them to him shortly before he died, and he hasn't had an opportunity to read it since then. These are Professor Takumi's last thoughts on the matter before his untimely death, and trust me what's in here will give this case a brand new perspective."

"Hmm." The Judge contemplated things for a second and then nodded and made a decision. "Very well, Mr. Hanamura. If you believe this is worth pursing, then the court will now hear you out."

Auchi grumbled. "Fine, but I won't have you waste our time reading through that whole file. Show us the specific page that makes your point."

"Can do," I replied.

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAGE: Which page of Professor Takumi's Notes proves that the presence of Professor Tanaka's fingerprints on the matchbook has nothing to do with the murder?

* * *

Page 1 – Hacker Case Summary

Page 2 – Investigation Notes

Page 3 – Investigation Notes Continued…

Page 4 – Investigation Notes Continued (That Case)

Page 5 – Something Must Be Done!

* * *

Pick Option Four.

"I believe the page you're looking for, is Page No. 4," I replied as I pulled Page 4 out of the folder and showed it to the court. "This page contains notes made by Professor Takumi about his secret re-opening of his and Professor Tanaka's last case. In it the Professor lists several pieces of evidence used in the trial that he re-examined personally. One of them being the matchbook that he had in his possession. According to his notes the matchbook from the old case did in fact have fingerprints on it. At first he believed these prints to be from the suspect of the crime, but upon closer inspection, they were revealed to belong to one Professor Tanaka Shuichi."

Auchi began to sweat bullets. "Wh-What?!"

"Furthermore, he goes on to say that he too believes that Professor Tanaka accidently contaminated the evidence during the trial," I added.

The Judge's eyes widened. "Well I'll be. It's true."

"Impossible! That has to be a lie!" Auchi exclaimed in defiance while he pounded down on his desk. "Don't buy it, Your Honor! It's all a trick! Why, I'll bet that crooked Dean had this evidence forged to reflect the Defense's theory!"

"Accusing a respected former prosecutor of forging evidence? Have you no shame, Auchi-san?" Professor Tanaka replied.

"I agree, Mr. Auchi. Though Dean Kyoukun may have lied in his testimony, he did so purely out of worry for his school's safety. And back when he presided as a prosecutor he was known for being strict but fair. It doesn't fit his personality to commit such a grave crime as evidence forgery," the Judge replied.

"Trying to get an attorney accused of using forged evidence just to win. I thought your grandfather was Auchi Takefumi not Garyuu Kirihito," I replied in a smug tone.

"Arrgh," Auchi growled.

"But if you really aren't convinced that this file is legitimate, there is a way we can test out its claims for ourselves," I replied.

"Hanamura-kun?" the Professor looked confused.

"Trust me Professor, this is just going to help our case," I replied.

"What trick are you going to pull now?" Auchi replied.

"A little trick called science. All I need you to do, is try and strike one of those matches in the matchbook you're hanging onto, Auchi-san," I replied.

Auchi held up the matchbook. "You mean a match from this matchbook. What will that prove?"

"Mr. Hanamura, I'll have you know that the court does not take too kindly to pyrotechnical displays. Someone could get hurt after all," said the Judge.

"Trust me, Your Honor. I think the court will find this very interesting," I replied.

"Very well, go on and strike one of those matches, Mr. Auchi," the Judge replied.

Auchi scoffed. "Fine, but I fail to see what this will accomplish." Auchi carefully pulled out one of the matches from the matchbook and then proceeded to strike it against the book. "Here goes nothing." But nothing happened.

"…" the Judge looked unamused. "Mr. Auchi, you do know how to light a match, correct?"

"O-Of course I do, Your Honor. Just hold on one second." Auchi tried to light the match once again, but again nothing happened. Then he tried a third time. And then a fourth. And then a fifth. But still, nothing happened. No matter what Auchi did, the match just wouldn't light. "What's going on here?!"

"What's going on is that the matches aren't lighting, and that's because they're simply too old to do so, at least that's what it says in Professor Takumi's Notes."

"Ah, yes, I see now," Professor Tanaka replied. "Over time matches absorb moisture from the air, and the more moisture they absorb, the less chance that they will light effectively. Such a long gap between two cases would've provided ample opportunity for the matches to absorb a lot of moisture. So that's what Takumi meant."

"That's ludicrous, I'll bet the matches are just simply damp. You're forgetting, the matchbook was found stuffed inside that bottle of Bacardi 151. I'll bet some stray alcohol just got onto them," Auchi replied.

The Judge nodded. "That seems plausible."

'Hmm, could that be true?' I asked myself.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: Could the matches simply be damp because of the alcohol in the bottle?

* * *

Yes, that has to be it

There's no way that's true

* * *

Pick Option Two.

I shook my head. "Actually, that can't be possible, Auchi-san," I replied.

"Wh-What? Why not?" Auchi replied in an unnerved tone.

"Because this evidence says so that's why," I replied.

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What proves that the matches didn't get damp from the alcohol in the bottle?

* * *

 **Kibou's Attorney Badge** – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

 **Today's Paper** – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Raira Law School's recent hacking scandal. The article also mentions that this scandal was brought to light by an anonymous tip delivered on stationary depicting an odd infinity symbol.

 **Autopsy Report** – _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

 **Photo from Before the Murder –** An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: _22:33:_ 46\. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway.

 **Matchbook –** Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty alcohol bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Tanaka's prints, though he claims it's because he used it as evidence in an old murder case. The matchbook was made by the Mikabi Matches company, a company that has since gone bankrupt. It's packaging, though crumpled up now, is very unique. So it stands to reason that this matchbook was indeed evidence in that old murder case.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past –** Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. The victim of which was another attorney, and what's more, a friend of Professor Tanaka's. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Takumi got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Tanaka about reopening it. Though apparently, Professor Takumi has already reopened it by himself and has even gotten ahold of the old evidence used in it.

 **Bottle of Alcohol –** Professor Takumi was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as accelerant for the fire.

 **Portable Stove –** Professor Takumi kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report –** According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card –** One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

 **Kyoukun's Blackmail Note –** A typed and printed note was found by Dean Kyoukun the morning after the fire. Judging by the message, its highly likely that this note was left by the true culprit, and it also gives a very strong hint that the culprit is the hacker, as they ordered Dean Kyoukun to suspend Tomoko's investigation under threat of more violence.

 **Professor Takumi's Notes –** Professor Takumi's investigation notes on the hacker plaguing Raira Law School.

Page (1/5)

Hacker Case Summary

(2/1) According to my independent investigation, the hacker has been at work for quite some time. At least since the beginning of the last semester, maybe even before that. The data logs for the entire campus show that unauthorized access has been granted to specific files and data caches. Not just containing private information about the school itself, but personal information about the students, teachers, and faculty as well. I have even discovered that my own personal files have been looked into without my knowledge. I consider this a grave oversight on my part, but it does prove one thing. This hacker is someone truly gifted as has been perfecting their craft for years. They've been very cautious and meticulous in their search, which is why it took me so long to actually catch on to their existence. But as to what it is they're searching for exactly, I still have no idea.

Page (2/5)

Investigation Notes

(2/6) I have discovered a way to narrow down the suspects. I am currently in the process of comparing the computer usage history for the whole campus to the times where unauthorized access was reported by the data logs. I can't involve any of the other students or faculty who help maintain the campus's network, as I do not know at this point who I can trust. As such, this arduous task falls solely to me.

(2/10) The comparison is taking longer than expected. I'm now even starting to compare the computer usage of students and faculty who rarely even use the campus computers, if at all. So far I haven't had any luck.

(2/22) I haven't had any luck at finding out the hacker's true identity yet. I have abandoned my comparison test, as I have gone through almost every single name in the student and faculty registry. No one had logged onto any campus computers at the same times of each incident. I can only guess at this point that the hacker is using their own personal device to hook up to the campus network. And if this is the case they are probably smart enough to be using proxy servers to hide their unscrupulous activities. At this point in time there's no real way of identifying them.

(3/10) I have informed Dean Kyoukun of the fruitlessness of my efforts and have recommended that we look into hiring a private investigator. I've heard word of an up and coming young lady who has a very noteworthy background in solving cybercrimes. Perhaps she would be a great asset.

Page (3/5)

Investigation Notes Continued…

(3/14) I think I'm onto something! The hacker seems to be here for two purposes, one they were hired to search for something in particular. This has been made very clear by their previous actions. And two, the hacker also seems to have their own personal motivation for their crimes. There's been a recent rash of accusations made by other professors about students cheating in their classes. This goes for my class as well. I think the hacker might also be helping certain students cheat on assignments and exams. If this is the case than their motivation may be just as simple as monetary gain. They were likely hired to search for something in particular by a third party, and in the meantime they are using their position to make a quick buck for themselves by loaning out their services to all interested parties. And if they're greedy, they might slip up and make a carless mistake.

(3/15) I've made another important discovery, but this one feels me with unfathomable dread. I think I know what exactly the hacker was hired to search for. I've noticed an increased amount of activity through Naruhodou Hall in particular. To be more specific, my private records as well as the private records of my colleagues, Tanaka included. Though I've managed to keep our private data locked up tight, there has been several attempts made to bypass my security. Whatever they are after, is in there. I at first thought it to be slightly odd. After all the only things of value that both Tanaka and I have in our own private data is notes for our classes and dossiers of all our old cases that I managed to digitize. And that was when it hit me. Our old cases.

I tried to persuade myself that I was mistaken, that the hacker's true goal was something else. But my mind kept wandering back to one thing. _That_ case. Mine and Tanaka's last case. The case that nearly consumed us both. Could it be? Is someone else looking into that case after all these years. I have to know for sure.

(3/16) I could not dissuade my curiosity any longer. I know I made a promise with Tanaka, but I can't ignore it any longer. I have to know the truth. And if that means that I delve back into the past then so be it. I visited the police's evidence lockup and asked to borrow the evidence for our last case. Thankfully they didn't kick that much fuss over an ex-prosecutor borrowing evidence from a murder case that had gone that cold. If I'm right, then the hacker, or more appropriately their client, is linked to this case somehow. If so, it might mean what Tanaka and I have thought all along, the true killer is still out there. I must reopen the case by myself. I can't Tanaka's hopes up without any definitive evidence.

Page (4/5)

Investigation Notes Continued ( _That_ Case)

(3/24) I've done inventory of all the evidence left over from the trial. I'll make note of the important pieces here:

Matchbook – A Mikabi Matches brand matchbook. All that remains of a forgotten business. Twenty matches were originally included in this book, but during the trial it was made clear that two matches had been used and were missing from the book. Fingerprints are on the matchbook, I at first thought they were the fingerprints of the suspect in the case but when I did a spot check analysis and compared ridge patterns, they were revealed to be Tanaka's. He must have mishandled them at some point during the trial.

I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something.

Used Match – A single burnt match was found at the scene of the crime.

Burn Pattern Analysis – A report made by the arson inspector at the fire department. According to the report, gasoline was poured around the building and then ignited causing the flash fire to spread quickly. The fire started from the outside of the building.

I will make notes of the other pieces of evidence when I have finished examining each of them fully.

Page (5/5)

Something Must Be Done!

(3/25) My worst fears have come to pass; the killer is still out there. And now they've finally decided to come after Tanaka and I. The phone call I received earlier this afternoon was proof enough, someone wants me to drop this case immediately. I'm not usually one to respond to threats, but I believe whole-heartedly that this individual is capable of the most monstrous things. Dean Kyoukun, I've sent this to you in the hopes that you and Tanaka will continue what I started if anything should happen to me. I pray that my paranoia is just the ravings of an old man. But just in case, help Tanaka use my notes and the evidence from _that_ trial. There is a much bigger game at foot than we anticipated. The hacking, _that_ case. It's all connected somehow, I know it. You and Tanaka are two of my oldest friends. I trust you will solve this case.

Best regards, Takumi Shigeo.

* * *

Present Bottle of Alcohol.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"The bottle itself is your evidence?" the Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. If you'll recall Auchi-san stated when he first introduced the bottle, that upon first discovery by investigators, the bottle was completely empty. There's no way the matchbook could've gotten damp like that if there was no alcohol in the bottle to do so," I explained.

"Nooooooo waaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!" Auchi exclaimed.

Whispers and murmurs erupted from the gallery again. Then the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk to silence the gallery. "I think I've heard just about enough. The matchbook brand, the fingerprints, the victim's final words, and now the matches themselves have proven one thing. This matchbook is without a doubt, the one used to commit the murder in the victim and the defendant's last case. I think it's pretty safe to say we've established that fact. So it looks like there is no longer any definitive proof that the defendant committed the murder."

"Th-This can't be happening!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief as he huddled over his desk.

"But I believe this leaves us with quite the conundrum. We don't have another definitive suspect to pin to the crime. If the matchbook only bears the defendant's prints, then I think we can all safely assume that the true culprit must have worn gloves to conceal their presence. But if that's the case, I don't see how we'll be able to identify them," the Judge explained.

"…" I began to think to myself. And then a crazy idea suddenly popped into my head. 'Could it be? Well I've got some room to maneuver here so might as well take a shot in the dark.' I slammed my hands down on my desk. "Actually, Your Honor. I think I have an idea of how we can proceed. But in order to do so, we're going to have to call into question everything we've proven so far."

"What do you mean, Mr. Hanamura?" the Judge asked.

"Y-You're still not done yet?" Auchi asked.

"I believe that we've all been mistaken about something from the very beginning of this trial. A mistake that has kept us from seeing the truth of that night. Now, I don't know if this is the only mistake that has been made so far. All I know is that it's the first one that's jumped out at me so vehemently. And the way we can understand those mistakes begins with revealing this contradiction," I explained.

"A…A contradiction?" the Judge replied.

"I'm glad you noticed it Hanamura-kun. Thanks to our combined efforts, we've managed to change the meaning behind my fingerprints being on that matchbook, but it's revealed a whole new contradiction in the process," Professor Tanaka explained.

I nodded. 'Yes, this is it. This contradiction is our next step towards the truth. I can feel it.' I took a deep breath and then started to speak again. "Allow me to show the court a piece of evidence that has been called into question by everything new that we've managed to discover."

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What evidence can no longer be taken at face value given the current facts?

* * *

 **Kibou's Attorney Badge** – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

 **Today's Paper** – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Raira Law School's recent hacking scandal. The article also mentions that this scandal was brought to light by an anonymous tip delivered on stationary depicting an odd infinity symbol.

 **Autopsy Report** – _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

 **Photo from Before the Murder –** An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: _22:33:_ 46\. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway.

 **Matchbook –** Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty alcohol bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Tanaka's prints, though he claims it's because he used it as evidence in an old murder case. The matchbook was made by the Mikabi Matches company, a company that has since gone bankrupt. It's packaging, though crumpled up now, is very unique. So it stands to reason that this matchbook was indeed evidence in that old murder case.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past –** Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. The victim of which was another attorney, and what's more, a friend of Professor Tanaka's. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Takumi got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Tanaka about reopening it. Though apparently, Professor Takumi has already reopened it by himself and has even gotten ahold of the old evidence used in it.

 **Bottle of Alcohol –** Professor Takumi was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as accelerant for the fire.

 **Portable Stove –** Professor Takumi kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report –** According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card –** One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

 **Kyoukun's Blackmail Note –** A typed and printed note was found by Dean Kyoukun the morning after the fire. Judging by the message, its highly likely that this note was left by the true culprit, and it also gives a very strong hint that the culprit is the hacker, as they ordered Dean Kyoukun to suspend Tomoko's investigation under threat of more violence.

 **Professor Takumi's Notes –** Professor Takumi's investigation notes on the hacker plaguing Raira Law School.

Page (1/5)

Hacker Case Summary

(2/1) According to my independent investigation, the hacker has been at work for quite some time. At least since the beginning of the last semester, maybe even before that. The data logs for the entire campus show that unauthorized access has been granted to specific files and data caches. Not just containing private information about the school itself, but personal information about the students, teachers, and faculty as well. I have even discovered that my own personal files have been looked into without my knowledge. I consider this a grave oversight on my part, but it does prove one thing. This hacker is someone truly gifted as has been perfecting their craft for years. They've been very cautious and meticulous in their search, which is why it took me so long to actually catch on to their existence. But as to what it is they're searching for exactly, I still have no idea.

Page (2/5)

Investigation Notes

(2/6) I have discovered a way to narrow down the suspects. I am currently in the process of comparing the computer usage history for the whole campus to the times where unauthorized access was reported by the data logs. I can't involve any of the other students or faculty who help maintain the campus's network, as I do not know at this point who I can trust. As such, this arduous task falls solely to me.

(2/10) The comparison is taking longer than expected. I'm now even starting to compare the computer usage of students and faculty who rarely even use the campus computers, if at all. So far I haven't had any luck.

(2/22) I haven't had any luck at finding out the hacker's true identity yet. I have abandoned my comparison test, as I have gone through almost every single name in the student and faculty registry. No one had logged onto any campus computers at the same times of each incident. I can only guess at this point that the hacker is using their own personal device to hook up to the campus network. And if this is the case they are probably smart enough to be using proxy servers to hide their unscrupulous activities. At this point in time there's no real way of identifying them.

(3/10) I have informed Dean Kyoukun of the fruitlessness of my efforts and have recommended that we look into hiring a private investigator. I've heard word of an up and coming young lady who has a very noteworthy background in solving cybercrimes. Perhaps she would be a great asset.

Page (3/5)

Investigation Notes Continued…

(3/14) I think I'm onto something! The hacker seems to be here for two purposes, one they were hired to search for something in particular. This has been made very clear by their previous actions. And two, the hacker also seems to have their own personal motivation for their crimes. There's been a recent rash of accusations made by other professors about students cheating in their classes. This goes for my class as well. I think the hacker might also be helping certain students cheat on assignments and exams. If this is the case than their motivation may be just as simple as monetary gain. They were likely hired to search for something in particular by a third party, and in the meantime they are using their position to make a quick buck for themselves by loaning out their services to all interested parties. And if they're greedy, they might slip up and make a carless mistake.

(3/15) I've made another important discovery, but this one feels me with unfathomable dread. I think I know what exactly the hacker was hired to search for. I've noticed an increased amount of activity through Naruhodou Hall in particular. To be more specific, my private records as well as the private records of my colleagues, Tanaka included. Though I've managed to keep our private data locked up tight, there has been several attempts made to bypass my security. Whatever they are after, is in there. I at first thought it to be slightly odd. After all the only things of value that both Tanaka and I have in our own private data is notes for our classes and dossiers of all our old cases that I managed to digitize. And that was when it hit me. Our old cases.

I tried to persuade myself that I was mistaken, that the hacker's true goal was something else. But my mind kept wandering back to one thing. _That_ case. Mine and Tanaka's last case. The case that nearly consumed us both. Could it be? Is someone else looking into that case after all these years. I have to know for sure.

(3/16) I could not dissuade my curiosity any longer. I know I made a promise with Tanaka, but I can't ignore it any longer. I have to know the truth. And if that means that I delve back into the past then so be it. I visited the police's evidence lockup and asked to borrow the evidence for our last case. Thankfully they didn't kick that much fuss over an ex-prosecutor borrowing evidence from a murder case that had gone that cold. If I'm right, then the hacker, or more appropriately their client, is linked to this case somehow. If so, it might mean what Tanaka and I have thought all along, the true killer is still out there. I must reopen the case by myself. I can't Tanaka's hopes up without any definitive evidence.

Page (4/5)

Investigation Notes Continued ( _That_ Case)

(3/24) I've done inventory of all the evidence left over from the trial. I'll make note of the important pieces here:

Matchbook – A Mikabi Matches brand matchbook. All that remains of a forgotten business. Twenty matches were originally included in this book, but during the trial it was made clear that two matches had been used and were missing from the book. Fingerprints are on the matchbook, I at first thought they were the fingerprints of the suspect in the case but when I did a spot check analysis and compared ridge patterns, they were revealed to be Tanaka's. He must have mishandled them at some point during the trial.

I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something.

Used Match – A single burnt match was found at the scene of the crime.

Burn Pattern Analysis – A report made by the arson inspector at the fire department. According to the report, gasoline was poured around the building and then ignited causing the flash fire to spread quickly. The fire started from the outside of the building.

I will make notes of the other pieces of evidence when I have finished examining each of them fully.

Page (5/5)

Something Must Be Done!

(3/25) My worst fears have come to pass; the killer is still out there. And now they've finally decided to come after Tanaka and I. The phone call I received earlier this afternoon was proof enough, someone wants me to drop this case immediately. I'm not usually one to respond to threats, but I believe whole-heartedly that this individual is capable of the most monstrous things. Dean Kyoukun, I've sent this to you in the hopes that you and Tanaka will continue what I started if anything should happen to me. I pray that my paranoia is just the ravings of an old man. But just in case, help Tanaka use my notes and the evidence from _that_ trial. There is a much bigger game at foot than we anticipated. The hacking, _that_ case. It's all connected somehow, I know it. You and Tanaka are two of my oldest friends. I trust you will solve this case.

Best regards, Takumi Shigeo.

* * *

Present Matchbook.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"Th-The matchbook again? What else could possibly be left to say on the matter?" Auchi asked.

"The contradiction becomes clear if we take a closer look at this piece of evidence," I replied.

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What contradicts the matchbook?

* * *

 **Kibou's Attorney Badge** – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

 **Today's Paper** – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Raira Law School's recent hacking scandal. The article also mentions that this scandal was brought to light by an anonymous tip delivered on stationary depicting an odd infinity symbol.

 **Autopsy Report** – _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

 **Photo from Before the Murder –** An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: _22:33:_ 46\. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway.

 **Matchbook –** Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty alcohol bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Tanaka's prints, though he claims it's because he used it as evidence in an old murder case. The matchbook was made by the Mikabi Matches company, a company that has since gone bankrupt. It's packaging, though crumpled up now, is very unique. So it stands to reason that this matchbook was indeed evidence in that old murder case.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past –** Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. The victim of which was another attorney, and what's more, a friend of Professor Tanaka's. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Takumi got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Tanaka about reopening it. Though apparently, Professor Takumi has already reopened it by himself and has even gotten ahold of the old evidence used in it.

 **Bottle of Alcohol –** Professor Takumi was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as accelerant for the fire.

 **Portable Stove –** Professor Takumi kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report –** According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card –** One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

 **Kyoukun's Blackmail Note –** A typed and printed note was found by Dean Kyoukun the morning after the fire. Judging by the message, its highly likely that this note was left by the true culprit, and it also gives a very strong hint that the culprit is the hacker, as they ordered Dean Kyoukun to suspend Tomoko's investigation under threat of more violence.

 **Professor Takumi's Notes –** Professor Takumi's investigation notes on the hacker plaguing Raira Law School.

Page (1/5)

Hacker Case Summary

(2/1) According to my independent investigation, the hacker has been at work for quite some time. At least since the beginning of the last semester, maybe even before that. The data logs for the entire campus show that unauthorized access has been granted to specific files and data caches. Not just containing private information about the school itself, but personal information about the students, teachers, and faculty as well. I have even discovered that my own personal files have been looked into without my knowledge. I consider this a grave oversight on my part, but it does prove one thing. This hacker is someone truly gifted as has been perfecting their craft for years. They've been very cautious and meticulous in their search, which is why it took me so long to actually catch on to their existence. But as to what it is they're searching for exactly, I still have no idea.

Page (2/5)

Investigation Notes

(2/6) I have discovered a way to narrow down the suspects. I am currently in the process of comparing the computer usage history for the whole campus to the times where unauthorized access was reported by the data logs. I can't involve any of the other students or faculty who help maintain the campus's network, as I do not know at this point who I can trust. As such, this arduous task falls solely to me.

(2/10) The comparison is taking longer than expected. I'm now even starting to compare the computer usage of students and faculty who rarely even use the campus computers, if at all. So far I haven't had any luck.

(2/22) I haven't had any luck at finding out the hacker's true identity yet. I have abandoned my comparison test, as I have gone through almost every single name in the student and faculty registry. No one had logged onto any campus computers at the same times of each incident. I can only guess at this point that the hacker is using their own personal device to hook up to the campus network. And if this is the case they are probably smart enough to be using proxy servers to hide their unscrupulous activities. At this point in time there's no real way of identifying them.

(3/10) I have informed Dean Kyoukun of the fruitlessness of my efforts and have recommended that we look into hiring a private investigator. I've heard word of an up and coming young lady who has a very noteworthy background in solving cybercrimes. Perhaps she would be a great asset.

Page (3/5)

Investigation Notes Continued…

(3/14) I think I'm onto something! The hacker seems to be here for two purposes, one they were hired to search for something in particular. This has been made very clear by their previous actions. And two, the hacker also seems to have their own personal motivation for their crimes. There's been a recent rash of accusations made by other professors about students cheating in their classes. This goes for my class as well. I think the hacker might also be helping certain students cheat on assignments and exams. If this is the case than their motivation may be just as simple as monetary gain. They were likely hired to search for something in particular by a third party, and in the meantime they are using their position to make a quick buck for themselves by loaning out their services to all interested parties. And if they're greedy, they might slip up and make a carless mistake.

(3/15) I've made another important discovery, but this one feels me with unfathomable dread. I think I know what exactly the hacker was hired to search for. I've noticed an increased amount of activity through Naruhodou Hall in particular. To be more specific, my private records as well as the private records of my colleagues, Tanaka included. Though I've managed to keep our private data locked up tight, there has been several attempts made to bypass my security. Whatever they are after, is in there. I at first thought it to be slightly odd. After all the only things of value that both Tanaka and I have in our own private data is notes for our classes and dossiers of all our old cases that I managed to digitize. And that was when it hit me. Our old cases.

I tried to persuade myself that I was mistaken, that the hacker's true goal was something else. But my mind kept wandering back to one thing. _That_ case. Mine and Tanaka's last case. The case that nearly consumed us both. Could it be? Is someone else looking into that case after all these years. I have to know for sure.

(3/16) I could not dissuade my curiosity any longer. I know I made a promise with Tanaka, but I can't ignore it any longer. I have to know the truth. And if that means that I delve back into the past then so be it. I visited the police's evidence lockup and asked to borrow the evidence for our last case. Thankfully they didn't kick that much fuss over an ex-prosecutor borrowing evidence from a murder case that had gone that cold. If I'm right, then the hacker, or more appropriately their client, is linked to this case somehow. If so, it might mean what Tanaka and I have thought all along, the true killer is still out there. I must reopen the case by myself. I can't Tanaka's hopes up without any definitive evidence.

Page (4/5)

Investigation Notes Continued ( _That_ Case)

(3/24) I've done inventory of all the evidence left over from the trial. I'll make note of the important pieces here:

Matchbook – A Mikabi Matches brand matchbook. All that remains of a forgotten business. Twenty matches were originally included in this book, but during the trial it was made clear that two matches had been used and were missing from the book. Fingerprints are on the matchbook, I at first thought they were the fingerprints of the suspect in the case but when I did a spot check analysis and compared ridge patterns, they were revealed to be Tanaka's. He must have mishandled them at some point during the trial.

I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something.

Used Match – A single burnt match was found at the scene of the crime.

Burn Pattern Analysis – A report made by the arson inspector at the fire department. According to the report, gasoline was poured around the building and then ignited causing the flash fire to spread quickly. The fire started from the outside of the building.

I will make notes of the other pieces of evidence when I have finished examining each of them fully.

Page (5/5)

Something Must Be Done!

(3/25) My worst fears have come to pass; the killer is still out there. And now they've finally decided to come after Tanaka and I. The phone call I received earlier this afternoon was proof enough, someone wants me to drop this case immediately. I'm not usually one to respond to threats, but I believe whole-heartedly that this individual is capable of the most monstrous things. Dean Kyoukun, I've sent this to you in the hopes that you and Tanaka will continue what I started if anything should happen to me. I pray that my paranoia is just the ravings of an old man. But just in case, help Tanaka use my notes and the evidence from _that_ trial. There is a much bigger game at foot than we anticipated. The hacking, _that_ case. It's all connected somehow, I know it. You and Tanaka are two of my oldest friends. I trust you will solve this case.

Best regards, Takumi Shigeo.

* * *

Present Professor Takumi's Notes.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"That file again? I think you might be going in circles here, Mr. Hanamura," the Judge replied.

I shook my head. "No, Your Honor. This file has exposed a brand new contradiction in the matchbook. One that without understanding fully, we will not be able to reach the truth at the heart of this trial. Allow me to direct your attention to this page."

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAGE: Which page of Professor Takumi's Notes contradicts the matchbook?

* * *

Page 1 – Hacker Case Summary

Page 2 – Investigation Notes

Page 3 – Investigation Notes Continued…

Page 4 – Investigation Notes Continued (That Case)

Page 5 – Something Must Be Done!

* * *

Pick Option Four.

"Page No. 4 again? What about it?" Auchi replied.

"Please follow along with me and everything will be made clear," I replied. Then I cleared my throat and began to read Professor Takumi's Notes. " _I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something._ " Then I looked up from the page and addressed the court. "The contradiction lies within the victim's own words. He too tried to light one of the matches but was unable to do so. Even lighting the match with another fire source appeared to have no effect. The matches were simply too old to even make a small spark."

"I don't follow," Auchi replied. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm having a bit of trouble understanding this myself," the Judge replied.

"It's simple logic. As we have just proven, the victim's claims are accurate. We too could not get the matches to light. Thus, the contradiction," I said in a confident tone, while placing my fists on my hips. "The fire at Naruhodou Hall could not have been caused by these matches!"

"Wh-What?!" the Judge's eyes went extremely wide.

"Wh-Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttt?!" Auchi exclaimed.

The gallery erupted into whispers and murmurs once more. The Judge furiously banged his gavel down upon his desk to quell the outburst. "Order! Order!" Then he looked down at me. "Mr. Hanamura, are you serious? The very foundation of this case has been built upon the theory that the matches were the cause of the fire. Are you saying that's false?"

I shook my head. "No, Your Honor. That's what the evidence is saying. I'm just doing my best to listen."

Auchi still looked unnerved. "As much as I hate to agree with the Defense, I think he's right on this point, Your Honor. If the matches could not have been lit, then there's no way they could have started the fire. Ergo, they are not the murder weapon."

It felt kind of odd for Auchi to back me up but I didn't question it. "Which means that we are still missing a vital piece of evidence. The true cause of the fire, ergo the real murder weapon."

"But if that's the case, then what did start the fire?" the Judge replied. "Surely the cause would've been discovered in the investigation."

"That is the question, isn't it?" Auchi replied.

"I think I might have an idea," Professor Tanaka replied. Then he turned to me. "You should know it too, right Hanamura-kun?"

"Professor?" I asked. Then I thought about it. 'No, wait. Could it be?'

"Mr. Hanamura, do you have a theory as to what caused the fire?" the Judge asked.

I nodded. "I think I do, Your Honor."

"Very well then, please enlighten the court," the Judge replied.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: What really caused the fire?

* * *

A lighter

A broken lamp

A bad electrical outlet

* * *

Pick Option One.

"I'll ask the court to refer back to the passage I read from Professor Takumi's Notes." I read the passage again. " _I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something._ " Then I looked back up to the court. "The key phrase this time is _my trusty lighter_. The victim owned a personal lighter."

"That he did, it was a gift from his late wife," Professor Tanaka added. "I saw it a few times, it was silver and had his initials engraved on the side of it."

"Out of curiosity, did the investigators recover this lighter from the crime scene, or perhaps a melted silver hunk of junk that used to be the lighter?" I asked.

"N-No, I don't recall being told about that," Auchi replied.

I addressed the forensics technician in the gallery. "Sir, sorry to bother you again, but do you recall seeing anything like that at the crime scene?"

The forensics technician shook his head. "No, I didn't see anything like that, and I don't think any of the other guys who worked the scene did either."

"Then I think I know what happened," I replied.

"Well don't leave us all in suspense, Mr. Hanamura. What happened to the lighter?" the Judge asked.

* * *

MAKE A DECISION: What happened to the lighter?

* * *

It's still hidden at the crime scene

Professor Takumi lost it before he died

The killer took it from the crime scene

* * *

Pick Option Three.

"The only possible explanation I can think of as to why the investigators didn't find the lighter is because someone removed it from the crime scene before it could be found. And there's only one person I can think of who would do that. The true culprit," I explained.

"I really hate to admit it, but that makes a lot of sense," Auchi replied.

"But as of this moment, we still do not have any leads as to the true culprit's identity," the Judge replied.

My eyes widened and then I started sweating bullets. "Oh yeah, that's right. I guess that information would only be useful if we had a suspect, huh?"

"…" Professor Tanaka was quiet for a moment and then he sighed and shook his head. "I didn't want it to come to this but it looks like there's no choice. Your Honor, the Defense does have a suspect in mind."

"Y-You do?" the Judge asked.

"Y-You do?" Auchi followed suit.

"W-We do?" as did I.

Professor Tanaka turned to me. "Hanamura-kun. You overlooked something in the court record. Take another good look at all the evidence. The truth will become clear."

"The court record?" I replied in confusion. Then I nodded. "Okay, got it. I'll take another look." And so one by one I checked over all the evidence again until I finally found what I was looking for. Professor Takumi had hidden a small memo amongst the documents he sent to Dean Kyoukun. On this memo was a list of names. They appeared to be students of Raira Law School, as Professor Takumi had written down ID numbers next to each name as well as a list of grades in various classes. 'Some kind of record Professor Takumi kept of each student? No, there's only a handful of names here. These students must have some significance. And then my eyes landed on a name I recognized. I turned to the Professor to make sure I found what he found, and he nodded in reply.

 **Student Memo added to Court Record**.

"I always knew he was a troublesome young man, but I never expected him to resort to something like this. I don't even know if he did it or not, but right now he's the only lead we have. Do what you have to do, Hanamura-kun," said Professor Tanaka.

I nodded. "Alright, you can count on me. I'll get to the bottom of this without fail."

"Well Mr. Hanamura, does the Defense have a new suspect or not? We can't proceed with the trial under these circumstances," said the Judge.

"Yes, we do have a new suspect in mind, Your Honor. And lucky for us this person is at the courthouse right now and is in an eager mood to testify," I replied.

"Well then who is your suspect and what evidence do you have to bring them to the stand?" the Judge asked.

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROFILE: Who's your prime suspect?

* * *

 **花村 希望** **(Hanamura Kibou) –** Age: 26. Gender: Male. A rookie attorney who is starting a bit later in his law career than most people do for personal reasons. He's not that confident in his abilities yet but he has a big heart and never loses hope.

 **田中 終** **(Tanaka Shuichi) –** Age: 65. Gender: Male. A former professor in criminal law defense at Raira Law School, he was actually Kibou's old advisor when he attended Raira. He's a good, honest, studious man who believes whole-heartedly in justice and the truth. He's Kibou's first client and the defendant of this case.

 **花村 日向** **(Hanamura Hinata) –** Age: 15. Gender: Female. Kibou's younger sister. She idolizes her brother and does her best to make him proud. She's a very kind and generous girl who never hesitates to stand up for the people she cares about.

 **裁判 官** **(Saibankan/Judge) –** Age: 81. Gender: Male. A Judge who's a little past his prime and yet still continues to see over trials to this day. But he seems to always deliver the right verdict so maybe he's gotten wiser with his old age.

 **亜内 正崇** **(Auchi Masataka) –** Age: 31. Gender: Male. A snobby prosecutor who's apparently the grandson of the loser prosecutor, Auchi Takefumi, who was always mercilessly beaten by the great Naruhodou Ryuuichi. Though he claims he doesn't have his family's bad luck, and has apparently not lost a single case in his eight years as a prosecutor.

 **巧 繁男** **(Takumi Shigeo) –** Age: Deceased. Gender: Male. The victim of this case. He was a professor in criminal law prosecution and Professor Tanaka's lifelong rival.

 **乱用 現金** **(Ranyou Genkin) –** Age: 21. Gender: Male. The youngest son of the Ranyou Group, who are rumored to have ties to Yakuza due to their almost criminal business practices. He was Professor Tanaka's teaching assistant and aims to be a defense attorney so he can help defend his family's empire.

 **教訓 勝浩** **(Kyoukun Katsuhiro) –** Age: 60. Gender: Male. The current Dean of Raira Law School and a former prosecutor who worked alongside Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi back in the day. He seems very short-tempered about most things but he cares deeply about his school and his students.

 **直樹 尚希** **(Mugai Naoki) –** Age: 22. Gender: Male. Professor Takumi's former teaching assistant. He aims to be a prosecutor, but despite being smart and talented he's very shy and aloof. It's very unlikely he'll make it as a prosecutor.

 **黒崎 知子** **(Kurosaki Tomoko) –** Age: 24. Gender: Female. A Private Investigator who also specializes in cybercrimes. She's kind of rude and just plain weird, but she seems like a good person. And she very clearly cares about her work as a P.I.

* * *

Present Ranyou Genkin's Profile.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted. "And here's my evidence."

* * *

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What proves Ranyou Genkin's connection to the case?

* * *

 **Kibou's Attorney Badge** – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

 **Today's Paper** – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Raira Law School's recent hacking scandal. The article also mentions that this scandal was brought to light by an anonymous tip delivered on stationary depicting an odd infinity symbol.

 **Autopsy Report** – _Victim:_ _巧 繁男_ _(Takumi Shigeo)_

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

 **Photo from Before the Murder –** An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: _22:33:_ 46\. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in anyway.

 **Matchbook –** Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty alcohol bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Tanaka's prints, though he claims it's because he used it as evidence in an old murder case. The matchbook was made by the Mikabi Matches company, a company that has since gone bankrupt. It's packaging, though crumpled up now, is very unique. So it stands to reason that this matchbook was indeed evidence in that old murder case.

 **Mysterious Case from the Past –** Professor Tanaka and Professor Takumi were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. The victim of which was another attorney, and what's more, a friend of Professor Tanaka's. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Takumi got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Tanaka about reopening it. Though apparently, Professor Takumi has already reopened it by himself and has even gotten ahold of the old evidence used in it.

 **Bottle of Alcohol –** Professor Takumi was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as accelerant for the fire.

 **Portable Stove –** Professor Takumi kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

 **Tomoko's Investigation Report –** According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

 **Ouroboros Investigations Business Card –** One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

 **Kyoukun's Blackmail Note –** A typed and printed note was found by Dean Kyoukun the morning after the fire. Judging by the message, its highly likely that this note was left by the true culprit, and it also gives a very strong hint that the culprit is the hacker, as they ordered Dean Kyoukun to suspend Tomoko's investigation under threat of more violence.

 **Professor Takumi's Notes –** Professor Takumi's investigation notes on the hacker plaguing Raira Law School.

Page (1/5)

Hacker Case Summary

(2/1) According to my independent investigation, the hacker has been at work for quite some time. At least since the beginning of the last semester, maybe even before that. The data logs for the entire campus show that unauthorized access has been granted to specific files and data caches. Not just containing private information about the school itself, but personal information about the students, teachers, and faculty as well. I have even discovered that my own personal files have been looked into without my knowledge. I consider this a grave oversight on my part, but it does prove one thing. This hacker is someone truly gifted as has been perfecting their craft for years. They've been very cautious and meticulous in their search, which is why it took me so long to actually catch on to their existence. But as to what it is they're searching for exactly, I still have no idea.

Page (2/5)

Investigation Notes

(2/6) I have discovered a way to narrow down the suspects. I am currently in the process of comparing the computer usage history for the whole campus to the times where unauthorized access was reported by the data logs. I can't involve any of the other students or faculty who help maintain the campus's network, as I do not know at this point who I can trust. As such, this arduous task falls solely to me.

(2/10) The comparison is taking longer than expected. I'm now even starting to compare the computer usage of students and faculty who rarely even use the campus computers, if at all. So far I haven't had any luck.

(2/22) I haven't had any luck at finding out the hacker's true identity yet. I have abandoned my comparison test, as I have gone through almost every single name in the student and faculty registry. No one had logged onto any campus computers at the same times of each incident. I can only guess at this point that the hacker is using their own personal device to hook up to the campus network. And if this is the case they are probably smart enough to be using proxy servers to hide their unscrupulous activities. At this point in time there's no real way of identifying them.

(3/10) I have informed Dean Kyoukun of the fruitlessness of my efforts and have recommended that we look into hiring a private investigator. I've heard word of an up and coming young lady who has a very noteworthy background in solving cybercrimes. Perhaps she would be a great asset.

Page (3/5)

Investigation Notes Continued…

(3/14) I think I'm onto something! The hacker seems to be here for two purposes, one they were hired to search for something in particular. This has been made very clear by their previous actions. And two, the hacker also seems to have their own personal motivation for their crimes. There's been a recent rash of accusations made by other professors about students cheating in their classes. This goes for my class as well. I think the hacker might also be helping certain students cheat on assignments and exams. If this is the case than their motivation may be just as simple as monetary gain. They were likely hired to search for something in particular by a third party, and in the meantime they are using their position to make a quick buck for themselves by loaning out their services to all interested parties. And if they're greedy, they might slip up and make a carless mistake.

(3/15) I've made another important discovery, but this one feels me with unfathomable dread. I think I know what exactly the hacker was hired to search for. I've noticed an increased amount of activity through Naruhodou Hall in particular. To be more specific, my private records as well as the private records of my colleagues, Tanaka included. Though I've managed to keep our private data locked up tight, there has been several attempts made to bypass my security. Whatever they are after, is in there. I at first thought it to be slightly odd. After all the only things of value that both Tanaka and I have in our own private data is notes for our classes and dossiers of all our old cases that I managed to digitize. And that was when it hit me. Our old cases.

I tried to persuade myself that I was mistaken, that the hacker's true goal was something else. But my mind kept wandering back to one thing. _That_ case. Mine and Tanaka's last case. The case that nearly consumed us both. Could it be? Is someone else looking into that case after all these years. I have to know for sure.

(3/16) I could not dissuade my curiosity any longer. I know I made a promise with Tanaka, but I can't ignore it any longer. I have to know the truth. And if that means that I delve back into the past then so be it. I visited the police's evidence lockup and asked to borrow the evidence for our last case. Thankfully they didn't kick that much fuss over an ex-prosecutor borrowing evidence from a murder case that had gone that cold. If I'm right, then the hacker, or more appropriately their client, is linked to this case somehow. If so, it might mean what Tanaka and I have thought all along, the true killer is still out there. I must reopen the case by myself. I can't Tanaka's hopes up without any definitive evidence.

Page (4/5)

Investigation Notes Continued ( _That_ Case)

(3/24) I've done inventory of all the evidence left over from the trial. I'll make note of the important pieces here:

Matchbook – A Mikabi Matches brand matchbook. All that remains of a forgotten business. Twenty matches were originally included in this book, but during the trial it was made clear that two matches had been used and were missing from the book. Fingerprints are on the matchbook, I at first thought they were the fingerprints of the suspect in the case but when I did a spot check analysis and compared ridge patterns, they were revealed to be Tanaka's. He must have mishandled them at some point during the trial.

I also lit one of the matches myself to test them out, but I'm afraid time had gotten the best of them. They wouldn't light no matter what I tried. I even tried to light them with my trusty lighter, it didn't even so much as make a spark. Pity, I wanted to try and recreate the burn patterns. Perhaps the arson investigator and I overlooked something.

Used Match – A single burnt match was found at the scene of the crime.

Burn Pattern Analysis – A report made by the arson inspector at the fire department. According to the report, gasoline was poured around the building and then ignited causing the flash fire to spread quickly. The fire started from the outside of the building.

I will make notes of the other pieces of evidence when I have finished examining each of them fully.

Page (5/5)

Something Must Be Done!

(3/25) My worst fears have come to pass; the killer is still out there. And now they've finally decided to come after Tanaka and I. The phone call I received earlier this afternoon was proof enough, someone wants me to drop this case immediately. I'm not usually one to respond to threats, but I believe whole-heartedly that this individual is capable of the most monstrous things. Dean Kyoukun, I've sent this to you in the hopes that you and Tanaka will continue what I started if anything should happen to me. I pray that my paranoia is just the ravings of an old man. But just in case, help Tanaka use my notes and the evidence from _that_ trial. There is a much bigger game at foot than we anticipated. The hacking, _that_ case. It's all connected somehow, I know it. You and Tanaka are two of my oldest friends. I trust you will solve this case.

Best regards, Takumi Shigeo.

 **Student Memo –** Professor Takumi included a list of students inside his notes on the investigation. On the list is a familiar name. Ranyou Genkin.

* * *

Present Student Memo.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"R-Ranyou Genkin?!" the Judge exclaimed in surprise.

"What does he have to do with any of this?!" Auchi exclaimed.

I held up the Student Memo evidence. "I found this small memo hidden amongst Professor Takumi's Notes. And on this memo is a list of students who I assume all attend Raira Law School. And one of those students in particular is Ranyou Genkin. Now I will admit that I do not know the significance of this memo yet, but as we are desperate for new leads I feel that we should explore all available avenues."

"Hmm, normally I wouldn't allow you to call someone to the stand without better cause, but it as you say, Mr. Hanamura. We are desperate for leads. So I am tempted to grant your request," the Judge replied. "Mr. Auchi do you have anything to say in protest to this?"

"I…I can't think of any argument at this current time, Your Honor. Honestly, I'm kind of lost in what to do at this point. My entire case has already fallen apart," Auchi replied in defeat.

"Very well then," the Judge replied. "The court hereby calls Ranyou Genkin back to the stand." Then the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk.

 _The search for the true culprit was nearing its close, unfortunately there were more unexpected traps in store for me. My first trial, was by no means an easy win._

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**

* * *

A/N: And that's Part 3. I hope to finish this episode before the year ends but we'll see what happens. As always please read and review.


End file.
